A Boulder in the Path of Conquest
by Kovaras
Summary: At the end of the war against Grima, Robin sacrificed herself to end the Fell Dragon once and for all. But her bonds were not strong enough to return. Found adrift between worlds, she makes her way to an alternate past to find a way back. Only to find herself near Rosanne during Walhart's Rise. Donning a new name, can Robin change the past for the better? Rated M for safety.
1. Prologue

A Boulder in the Path of Conquest

In the waning hours of a great war, a battle is raged in the skies. Grima, the Fell dragon battled against Naga's chosen bloodline and their allies. Upon Grima's back,the blood of armies was spilt, legions of Grimleal slaughtered defending their god. Yet for all their fanaticism, it meant little in the face of the Shepherds' bonds and their tactician's brilliance. The great wyrm struggled for all it was worth, but in the end, found itself weakened and at the mercy of its foes.

"HA… HA… I… WILL NOT… BE…"

"Now Robin, this is our chance!"

Rushing forward, swords drawn was a blue haired lord and a purple haired woman. Chrom, the Exalt of Ylisse, and his wife, Robin, Queen of Ylisse and Royal Tactician stood before the Avatar of Grima, a ghastly reflection of the young woman. Its faced marred with sweat and blood, the purple flames that once roared and danced around it were barely a flicker. But its face remained defiant, twisted in scorn.

"With this blow, I will end this!"

Chrom slowly walks forward, and with a flourish of his sword, prepares to strike down Grima, to seal it away for another thousand years. That was of course, until he was tripped by his most trusted friend. Ungraciously falling to the ground, he could only stare in disbelief at his wife.

"Sorry Chrom, but I lied. I can't let you take care of this."

Glancing briefly at her fallen husband Robin walks forward, hand outstretched to the heavens, gathering a familiar purple energy.

"Grima cannot fall save to his own power… for once I am glad we are one and the same."

"WHAT… YOU CANNOT DO THIS! YOU WOULD KILL US BOTH… FOR SUCH INSECTS?!"

"No, but I would kill us both for family"

"Wait Robin! No!"

Her hand swung down, and with it an orb of chaotic energy, striking down her twisted reflection, shock and horror warping its face. Its body faded, burned away by the very flames that once sustained it. The main body of Grima roared in pain, as its mind fades away into the abyss, the disintegrating body slowly gliding into the sea below. Robin herself begins to fade away, the wind blowing away her disintegrating body into flecks of purple dust before they themselves fade into the night.

Chrom could only stare in horror as his wife slowly fades away before him, her back turned against him while she looks at the sunset at the distance. They only stand there unmoving for a moment, until the shouts of their two blue haired children snap them out of their stupor.

"Mother, no! You can't leave us!"

Lucina and Morgan run beside their father, and gaze upon the fading figure of their mother.

"Why Mother… you promised… you'd come back with us…"

Morgan, her daughter and youngest child pleaded as tears streamed down her face. Her sister Lucina could only look on with a stoic face. Yet, her feelings were betrayed by the watering of her eyes.

"Mother…"

Turning her head to look at the family she was leaving behind, she gave them a sad, resigned look.

"I'm sorry… but I had to. I could not condemn you, my grandchildren or any of my descendants to live under the shadow of this monster. With this… we are free…"

"But at what cost mother? I did not come to the past, or falter in killing you only to see you die here! We could have… *hic* we could have… *hic* found another way…"

Lucina's stoic façade crumbles as she speaks those words. A river of tears stream down her face and her voice, normally strong and full of conviction, became so meek and powerless akin to a young child.

Robin could only give Lucina a wistful smile.

"I'm sorry my child, for burdening you with the future once more…"

Tears slowly fall from Robin's face, her body almost completely faded away.

"Lucina, Morgan, take care of your father for me… Chrom, let everyone know my final thoughts were of them. And thank you Chrom for everything. I love you... may we meet again in a better life…"

"Robin! No! Ah gods, NO!"

Chrom ran forward, hand reaching for his wife, only to see her finally fade away. The last image he saw of his wife was her sad, resigned smile, her eyes closing with a final wave of goodbye as Naga teleported him and the others to safety.

* * *

Robin groaned in pain as she felt herself floating, being tugged and pulled in different directions. Opening her eyes, she looked around and saw lines of light wrapping around her, pulling her to what seemed to be a river of light above her, only to be opposed by a claw made by a familiar purple fire, attempting to drag her down into the abyss. In the distance she saw other rivers of light, suspended in the void, as numerous as there are stars in the sky.

Focusing on the lines of light, she could feel the love, hopes and dreams of her friends, and in the claw, the waning strength and wrath of Grima as he fades into oblivion.

 _Heh, I wasn't expecting the bonds of friendship that Chrom and Naga spoke of to be quite… literal._

Briefly smiling to herself, she watched the struggle between the two intensely. To her horror, she watched as the bonds stretched themselves too far, slowly tearing and ripping apart, only to notice that Grima's claw, his lingering will, was fading away at an equal pace. The claw burned itself out of existence at the same moment that the bonds were stretched too far and were torn asunder. Robin found herself floating in the void between Outrealms, unable to rise back to her own, but safe from sinking into the abyss.

 _Huh… the bonds of love and friendship I had was equal to the will of a god. Still, being stuck in the void between realms was not what I was expecting. Perhaps this was the rule of three that one gray skinned traveler mentioned to me all those years ago. Of course, with my luck this was bound to happen. In the situation where there is a coin toss, instead of getting heads or tails, the coin lands perfectly on its side_

Closing her eyes and shaking her head, Robin twists her body around to look upon all the rivers of light. Focusing hard on them, she could make out some of the events occurring, as faded out images, and feeling the emotions of those in the scenes.

 _Are these all the Outrealms that Chrom and I visited in preparing for Grima? Ah, there's the alternate future where we aided our alternate children. And there are the Outrealms where I received the Einherjar cards from Hubba. The skills we learned from there were well worth the effort. But when I look at my own Realm, I cannot see it over the bright light it gives. Am I too close? Or is there something else obstructing my vision?_

Turning away once more to study the other Outrealms, she noticed something intriguing. In several nearby Outrealms whenever the river of light faded, a cluster of lights would erupt out of the fading end and in a graceful arc impact the river earlier on, causing a split. The newly formed split would grow strong and become the new main path of the river while the original path withered and faded, becoming a dead end. Other times the arc was too wide and it impacted other rivers, diverting the path there but ultimately causing the same conclusion.

 _Interesting, is this how Naga's time travel looks like from the outside? Splitting timelines until the ideal one is the dominant one? Hm… this could be my way back. If I hitch a ride on one of those arcs, I can find my way into an Outrealm and ask Naga to transport me back to my own. Granted I'd probably have to fight in the wars against Grima again, but that's better than just waiting out here in the void._

Studying the sister Outrealms to her own, Robin watched carefully. For what seemed like an eternity, she watched. Arcs from several of the sibling rivers were sent back in time, all of which were just out of her reach. Until finally, the closest river of time to her own flung one back. The arc swung close to her and she reached her hand out. Grazing the outermost light of the arc, she was pulled in, and found herself careening into the past, along side whoever else was in that particular light.

Five years before Robin was found by Chrom, near the lands of Rosanne. A falling light graced the skies and fell to the earth. All who gazed upon the spectacle believed it to be a shooting star, and several wished for peace and the safety of their loved ones in these ever-darkening times. For many in the coming years, this "shooting star" turned their hopes and wishes into a reality.

* * *

Author's Notes

Hello everyone! I hope you like the Prologue to my first fanfic ever! I always wanted to write my own novel, but was too anxious to make much progress, so I figured, why not write a fanfic for practice.

As you might have noticed, I changed the ending scene of Awakening. I thought that the rest of the family should have been there with Chrom and Robin as he/she faded out of existence. So, this timeline, I made it happen!

Oh, and for anyone who is wonder what this Robin looks like, she's female build 1, face 4, hair 2, hair color 8

Oh, and in this chapter, I threw a reference to an old RPG game I played a long time ago. A cookie to the first person who gets it!

So, until next time, See ya later!


	2. Chapter 1: Welcome to Grimdel

A Boulder in the Path of Conquest Chapter 1

A bolt of light strikes the snowy earth, leaving a plume of snow and ice in its wake. Yet oddly enough, the ground itself lay pristine, lacking a crater one would expect from such an impact. Instead, floating slightly above the ground was a portal, blue divine and surrounded by a magic circle, inscribed with divine runes, incomprehensible to mortals. Slowly a brown-haired boy wearing glasses emerges from the portal. Looking around, he notices himself suspended in the air as he coming out, bracing himself for the inevitable fall, closes his eyes. He briefly falls, only to stop with a sudden jerk. Opening his eyes, he looks up towards the portal and sees a gloved hand sticking out of it, holding his ankle in a death grip.

Initially dumbfounded, his gaze eventually becomes curious as he stares at the phenomena.

 _Interesting, did one of my comrades grab on to me during the trip back so we wouldn't get separated? Surprisingly well thought out if a bit basic. Why didn't I consider using such methods?_

Any further thoughts were interrupted when the hand suddenly released him and he fell ungraciously unto the frozen ground with a thump. Dusting himself off, he turned his attention back to the mysterious person slowly emerging out of the portal. His calm demeanor slowly turning into an ever so familiar fear.

 _Those robes… they are robes of the Grimleal! Did one of Grima's agents follow us even into the past? I must prepare myself, the few still living Grimleal back in our time were spared only due to their usefulness and power. I should exterminate this foe while they are emerging from the portal, but the interactions between mundane arcane powers and the divinity of Naga's portal are unknown. It could be catastrophic._

Opening his book, the pages flipped themselves rapidly until reaching desired spell, the book glowing with viridian power.

 _Elwind should be enough for this. The portal in time was designed for only the chosen of Naga. The journey for a Grimleal must have been arduous, leaving it exhausted and vulnerable._

Once the hooded figure fully emerged from the portal it fell to the ground, with the portal quietly fading away behind it. Seeing as the area was clear, the boy casts his spell. With a clear intent to kill, he let loose the magic, only for the figure to roll to the side and into a kneeling position, ready for another attack. Not wasting anytime, he cast Elwind yet again, but this time, only to his mutual amazement and horror, the figure calmly stood up and raised its hand, nullifying the spell on contact.

"Most impressive Laurent. Your friends would have merely watched in shock as an unknown figure clothed in the robes of the enemy came with them through time. While the others, instead of moving to pacify the possible enemy, would have wasted time saying things such as, 'Who are you?' or 'How did you follow me and what are your intentions?'"

Nodding in approval, the hooded figure took a few steps forward, and leaned in slightly as if to get a better look at him. The boy known as Laurent could only take a step backwards, tome still open. He watched the unknown figure cautiously. It spoke to him in familiarity. Many of the surviving Grimleal would know of him, but none would ever bother complimenting him after his attempts to slay them. Such a thing ran contradictory to all of his experiences. But simply acting in contrary to a familiar foe does not make them an ally. After a few moments of studying him, the figure finally relaxed and took a step back.

"Yep, definitely Laurent. Got Miriel's hat, similar glasses, skill in magic. Your father is most probably Kellam too, seeing how your hair is brown. Could also be Lon'qu, Stahl or Frederick, but you lack the sharpness of someone raised by Lon'qu, the laid-back aura of Stahl, or the quiet knightly pride of Frederick. But you definitely have Kellam's mindset of defending others. After all, your posture reflects one who constantly shields others from harm, not yourself."

Dumbfounded, Laurent finally let his guard down. His posture loosened and his book closed. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes briefly to calm himself down. Whoever this person was, they obviously were not here to engage in hostilities. Grimleal and their allies would have never bothered to learn the positive qualities of their fallen parents. Opening his eyes, he looked at the figure, for the first time studying their state. The robes were singed and torn in many places, evidence of several battles waged over the past few months.

 _This person must have also gone through hell. Most of the damage is from weaponry, but I can see the familiar claw marks of Risen scattered throughout the clothes as well. Did this person battle bandit gangs as well as Risen back in the future? Ylisse was falling when we left, it is conceivable that one of our surviving soldiers followed us in desperation. But that doesn't explain the fact that she is wearing Grimleal robes. I lack enough information to make such an assumption._

"Who are you? You are dressed as an enemy, but your actions do not match."

"Heh... Laurent, did your mother ever get around to explain the ideas of the multiverse theory to you before she went missing?"

Laurent's widened, surprise and a smidgeon of hope flittering across his face.

"No, she did not… But do you know what happened to my mother? Is she alright?"

"Unfortunately, no. At least the one you knew. The one of this timeline and several of the others are fine though."

"Timelines? Other mothers? What are you talking about?!"

"Perhaps this would help you understand"

The hooded figure uncrossed her arms and quietly removed her hood.

 _Long purple hair. Uncommon but not unheard of, and female. In fact, her face reminds me of… no it is an exact match of Lady Robin! How is this possible, didn't she fall with Lord Chrom all those years ago? But they never found the body... Was she captured by Grima and experimented on? Perhaps her hair changing colors could be a side effect of her captivity. But that doesn't explain her youth, or how she is here. But her voice, her mannerisms, they are all Lady Robin's…_

"Lady Robin, is that you? What happened to you? Why is your hair purple instead of snow white like it was before? And why do you look so much younger?"

Robin could only give a wry smile.

"It's good to see you again Laurent. Come on, let's sit down, it will take a while to explain everything."

* * *

"So, in summary, there are an infinite number of worlds out there called Outrealms, and you are a version of Lady Robin who succeeded in slaying Grima after Lucina, I and the others went back in time?"

"Yep, although it ended with me being trapped between Outrealms. Thankfully, you passed by so I was able to latch on and escape."

"Fascinating… so there is hope after all."

Hope filled Laurent's eyes as he contemplated the ramifications of her tale.

"And now we have two of you, our chances of success have significantly increased."

"Yep, although this world's Robin needs to do the final blow if you want to kill Grima. I'm not the Grima of this world. Sure, I'm a 99.9999% match, but I am not him."

"I see, and if we make sure our Robin's bonds are stronger than even yours, she will come back to us after Grima dies."

Smiling, Laurent finally allowed himself to relax. The situation was still grim, but at least now the nagging worry in the back of his mind was alleviated. When he was sent back, he knew their chances of success were slim. A handful of children, while skilled, were sent alone into a past before the future was ruined with no guarantee of success. Part of him feared that this whole venture was pointless, that all they will achieve was watching their friends, family and homeland ruined by the inevitability of fate a second time.

But now, he has something he always craved.

Confirmation.

Confirmation that yes, success is possible and within grasp. It has been done before, and it can be done again. Fate can be overwritten.

Turning to Robin, he gazed at her in relief. The Robin he remembered was wise and kind. Even if she wasn't exactly the same, it was comforting to be at her side again.

"So Lady Robin, what should we do now? Shall we look for the others and organize a plan to slay Grima?"

"Yeah, about that Laurent… I don't believe any of the others have arrived yet. Back in my timeline you arrived two years before everyone else. You spent the entire time searching for them fruitlessly. Not to mention, when I grabbed onto you as you travelled back in time I could have altered the trajectory. We need to confirm where in time we have landed before we can plan to do anything."

Laurent's face furrowed in thought as he digested the information that without Robin's interference.

 _It would seem I owe Lady Robin even more than I expected. I don't think I would have handled being alone for so long very well._

"I see… That is a reasonable course of action to follow. A decision on what to do can be made after all relevant data has been acquired. Although, I am uncertain as to how to inquire about the date without looking suspicious."

"Simple, we tell the first village the truth."

"The truth? Lady Robin I do not believe our tale will sound plausible to anyone. It would sound like a farce, or the ravings of two lunatics."

"Not the whole truth silly. The truth that after leaving home and travelling a long distance, you got lost in this forest. Later, as you wandered around trying to get your bearings, you found me alone in this forest, covered in wounds and other signs of battle, and that I'm suffering from amnesia and cannot remember years of my life. With that background, I could easily ask what date it is without looking too suspicious."

"I see, giving the truth but omitting key facts to allow the recipient to create wrong assumptions and reach a false, if plausible conclusion. That is an acceptable course of action for completing our task."

"Yep, now only if we knew the way to the nearest settlement."

"I believe I have the solution to that predicament."

Standing up, Laurent casually walked a few paces and pointed at some indentations on the ground.

"These footprints here are likely from local hunters, and see how the land is depressed here? This is a hunting trail. All we have to do is follow this and we should find a hunting cabin, if not, a village."

"But how do you know which direction to go? We might end up going in the opposite direction."

"See how these footprints deviate from the path? This was most likely where the hunters saw game and went off the path to get a better vantage point. All we need to do is follow the direction in which they came from."

"Huh, I never knew you were good at tracking Laurent. You were always the bookish type in my experience."

"I am, but living in that hellish future forces one to learn survival skills. Learning tracking and how to read the land is important in avoiding the Risen or roving bandits."

"Makes sense. Back in my world you never needed to display such skills since you joined our army and had security in numbers and maps. Well, it looks like I'll be in your care then. Let's go!"

* * *

After a few hours of comfortable silence, the pair eventually reached a village, if one could call it that. It was more akin to a hamlet on the way to becoming a village. A few houses barely larger than huts were built roughly in a circle on a hill, with a wooden temple built for those faithful to Naga placed in the center. Around the hamlet, earthen walls were topped with a wooden fence.

 _Interesting… normally villages could barely make palisades, so how on earth were they able make such defenses? There is more to this place than meets the eye._

The two walked towards the main gate, the sun setting in the distance. Seeing such a fortification, they paused a few paces from it and waited… and waited…

 _Where is the sentry? It is already dusk, but no one is manning the gates? What is going on here?_

Looking at each other, the two slowly made their way closer to the gate. Upon first glance, it looked fine from a distance. But now upon closer inspection, its decay became apparent. The wood was warped and ridden with termites from years of neglect, with moss and other fungi found upon the gate's frame.

After a moment, Robin decides to take a tiny risk and announce themselves to any sentries that may be hidden.

"Hello? Is anyone there? We would like permission to enter. Hello?"

They paused for a moment for a response. Only to hear the rustle of leaves as the wind blew them around the ground.

"How strange… Lady Robin do you think this village has been abandoned? Even if the Risen had not yet appeared, normally there would be a sentry to watch for bandits, correct?"

"Yeah, it is strange. As for whether or not this village is abandoned I have no idea. We'll need to investigate. Even if this place has been abandoned, there may be clues as to where and when we are. But let's stay on our guard… This is too eerie."

"Indeed, let us proceed with caution."

After a moment, Laurent walked forward to push open the gate. Robin, wary of a possible trap, observes every nook and cranny for any possible sign of an ambush. The gate opens inward with surprisingly little resistance despite the loud creaking noise it makes. Momentarily glancing at each other, they both nod and tentatively made their way forward.

Stealthily, they walked up the earthen ramp from the gate and began to make their way up the hill. As they walked, the two began observing for any movement in the shadows, wary of a possible ambush, whether it be bandit, wild animal, or even Risen should they have landed in the wrong year.

But nothing happened. All was calm as they approached the village proper, the sounds of evening life slowly filtering its way over the howl of the winter winds. The sounds of children playing in the snow, neighbors chatting with each other, and the familiar cackle of wood burning in a bonfire.

Seeing the familiar signs of life, the pair eased their guards and walked towards the sounds of life, eventually finding several families gathered around a bonfire near the temple, celebrating some sort of winter festival in Naga's name. Sighing in relief the two walked towards the villagers. Raising his hand, Laurent stepped forward.

"Ah, greetings. My apologies for interrupting, but may my companion and I stay here for the night? We became lost in our travels and lodging would be most appreciated."

The nearby adults who heard them jumped up in fright from the unexpected additions, their panic spreading throughout the group. Glancing at each other, they warily stared at the newcomers.

"Who are you and how did you sneak past the gate?"

The adult villagers slowly inched themselves between their children and the two strangers. Robin and Laurent could only look in confusion, with Laurent eventually speaking up.

"The gate was unmanned, my companion and I approached and even called out to see if there was a sentry. When there was no response, we simply walked in assuming that the village might have been abandoned."

The villagers' wariness lessoned upon his explanation but did not fade entirely. Eventually, they started speaking amongst themselves, without looking away from the pair.

"What?! Who was supposed to man the gates today?"

"Not sure, I think it was Samson."

"It was Samson remember? He was assigned sentry duty today as punishment for neglecting the cow pens and allowing the cows to wander off and get lost last week."

"Gods, we should have known better. If he couldn't manage to keep the stable and cow pens gates closed, how could we expect him to make sure a proper gate is closed?"

"Well we can't just believe these travelers out of hand though. Thomas, go and check the gate and see what happened."

"Got it."

A young teen with red hair runs away from the group and towards the gate where the two entered from. An awkward atmosphere filled the village, as they watched Laurent and Robin as potential threats, but at the same time, all but believing their explanation. After a tense hour, the teen known as Thomas returned, dragging along a wavy blue-haired youth, unwillingly, with a black eye.

"I found Samson sir, He was asleep in the guard's room above the gate. It was quite the setup, with multiple blankets, a bed and even beeswax for his ears."

The collective glares of animosity immediately shifted away from Laurent and Robin and towards a certain black-eyed teen. He flinched at first before puffing himself up as if he was indifferent to the looks, only for him to cringe as he heard the words from the eldest villager, a man with spiky black hair:

"Samson, we WILL have words tonight."

The boy attempted to speak, only to be interrupted by the elder.

"Do NOT attempt to weasel your way out of this boy. You put the lives of the entire village, as well as these travelers at risk. WE WILL DISCUSS YOUR SHORTCOMINGS TONIGHT. Is that understood?"

The boy could only nod his head in defiance. Yet his eyes betrayed fear. Slowly, he walked away with a scowl, trying his best not to heed the glares upon his back. As the boy slinked away, the elder turned his attention back to Laurent and Robin, bowing deeply.

"My apologies for the rude welcoming you received here tonight travelers. It is rare for honest folk to travel during this time of year, so we must be on guard for bandits, desperate for plunder and shelter. My name is Anton, and I am the founder of this village."

"Apology accepted, Anton. I am Laurent and my companion here is Robin. We were hoping with your permission to shelter her for a short time. Our travels have been arduous and we have found ourselves overstretched in our carelessness."

"I see, let's discuss this indoors."

Elder Anton motions for the others to continue the festivities.

"Don't worry you lot, I'll take care of our new guests. The night is still young and we have a few hours left before it is time to sleep. Who knows, this winter solstice festival may also become a welcoming party."

Smiling in good nature, Anton led the two into the largest house in the village.

"Welcome, this is my home, but it also serves as the community hall. So, what brings you to these parts? I believe you have quite the tale to weave."

* * *

"I see, the two of you have endured your share of burdens. To lose memories of your life and to become lost in a journey of discovery… Such misfortune…"

Anton looked at the pair in sympathy.

"I do believe Alfred, another village elder such as myself, will have adequate space and food to shelter you for the winter. But do note that you'll have to pull your weight around here as well. We may not be starving, but neither are we prosperous. Mostly cutting wood for firewood and the like. I hope you find that acceptable?"

Laurent nodded in approval.

"That is quite appropriate for what we are asking, our thanks."

"No worries young ones, it's the least we can do for ones as honest as you."

Anton eyes narrowed and his entire demeanor exuded an air of seriousness.

"I have lived for over 70 years, I can tell when people are lying. You both have been honest, if omitting some information. But that is alright. Everyone has their secrets they wish not to air out to the world. But do remember this: if in the future it becomes apparent that your secrets will be a threat to this village or those that inhabit it, I fully expect you to inform me or another elder of it before it escalates to something disastrous, is that clear?"

Surprised at the older man's sudden change in demeanor and aura, the two dumbly nodded in agreement. Judging their honesty, the old man slowly reverted back to his previous friendly demeanor.

"With that out of the way, welcome travelers, to the Village of Grimden! I believe the others would want to meet their new neighbors, even if it is only for a short time. Let's rejoin the others in the festival!"

Getting up and motioning for them to follow, Elder Anton escorted them back to the festival. Seeing his return, the villagers paused in their revelries and looked on with a questioning gaze. Smiling, Anton nodded and raised a thumbs up. The crowd cheered and gradually made their way towards Laurent and Robin.

What followed was a deluge of questions of their story and apologies for such an awkward initial greeting. Despite the initial feelings of unease, both Laurent and Robin eventually found themselves drawn into the cheer and hospitality of their hosts, eventually joining in the games and discussions as well. It was as if they were not strangers but merely relatives that came to visit after a long time apart.

The villagers looked upon Laurent with admiration. A young man who went on a journey seeking knowledge to better himself. Surely, he must be the child of a noble. His grasp of language was greater than even the adults of the village, and his etiquette was superb, yet it lacked the haughty arrogance that was expected of a learned man. He was better educated that most of the elders of the village, yet knew basic outdoorsmanship and survival skills, unlike the privileged elite they came to expect of a mage. It also helped that he indulged some of the younger children with displays of his wind magic, with apparently good cheer from the soft smile he wore as he watched the children gush with excitement from the display.

Robin on the other hand, was gazed with sympathy and pity. To endure such hardships only to lose so much of herself. It was clear she still remembered at least the core aspects of her being, but to lose so many years, to even forget what year she was born! Whenever she talked to others, she seemed normal but whenever there was a lull and had a moment to herself, Robin wore a pensive and somber expression. The villagers were initially concerned, wondering if perhaps they were making their guest uncomfortable. That was until the women of the village noted where her longing gaze was directed at: the children.

' _Even if the mind forgets, the heart remembers… She must have lost a child…'_

Such a thought spread among the villagers, as well as their pity. Quietly, the women swore to help their new, if temporary comrade. No mother should be alone after losing their family, whether or not they can remember it.

* * *

Hours later, shortly after the festival ended, Robin and Laurent found themselves in front of their temporary lodging: Alfred's house. Briefly looking around to make sure everyone else was out of earshot she whispered to Laurent.

"Well, I have good news and bad news…"

Laurent could only raise his eyebrows in response.

"And that would be?"

"I found out when and where we are. We are in a village southwest of Rosanne, Winter Solstice on the eve of a New Year… five years before Lucina came to the past."

Laurent could only close his eyes for a moment before sighing.

"So, we are truly alone now, aren't we?"

"Indeed, but that the only bad news I have."

"So, what is the good news?"

"We have 5 years to prepare for the others arrival. Five years to stack the deck in our favor before Grima can even learn of our presence, much less react. Five years to train, make connections and nip potential problems at the bud. Besides…"

Robin's demeanor slowly shifted from serious to more mischievous.

"Of the children, you are the youngest correct? Well when they finally catch up to us, you can prove you are most mature of them."

Laurent could only raise an eyebrow in indifference to Robin's feline grin. At least it was the image he wanted to project, if not for the twitching in his cheeks.

"How petty and juvenile. Such a thing never needed to be proven. My exquisite use of vocabulary is already enough proof of my supreme maturity in comparison to my peers."

"Riiiiight…"

Smirking, Robin crosses her arms and turns away.

"So, I guess you don't want to train under a war veteran to prove you are the best then?"

"I would… not be opposed to such an opportunity to learn."

"But you said your vocabulary alone was enough to prove your superiority. Oh, woe is I, lacking someone who is not already greater than I to teach!"

Robin attempted to continue with her theatrics but soon burst out in a fit of giggles, unable to keep the act going. Laurent too, broke into long forgotten laughs once Robin lost her composure.

 _She really is Robin. We haven't done that in years. Well, first time for us I suppose. Still, how nostalgic. Back in the old timeline Lady Robin did this for me when I was lonely waiting for mother to finish an experiment. That, or whenever I was feeling sad. Still, it is uncanny how she preempted my worries about being alone with such a display. We aren't alone, we have each other. And when Lucina and the others arrive, we'll be a family once again._

Smiling, Laurent turns towards his mentor.

"Thank you, Lady Robin, I needed that before I worked myself into a negative rut."

"No worries Laurent. We are comrades in this, remember? Also…"

Robin leans in, smiling mischievously once more.

"The shock of seeing how much further you have progressed compared to them would be an enjoyable benefit to all the work we will be doing, right?"

Allowing himself to be swept up by the mood, Laurent looks towards Robin with his own small smirk.

"It would indeed Lady Robin."

Satisfied with his answer, Robin walked forward and knocked Alfred's door. Little did she know such an unscripted, inconsequential meeting would have such an impact on her life.

* * *

Author's notes:

Hey everyone, did you like the first chapter of my first fanfic? Heh, that was a mouthful wasn't it? Regardless, I had fun writing the interactions between Laurent and Robin here.

And no, before some of you ask/bemoan I am not shipping these two. They are going to have more of a master/pupil relationship to a BFF (Best Friends Forever) relationship. Robin is going to stay loyal to Chrom.

As for why Laurent seemed a little immature at the end, remember this isn't the Laurent you recruit in the game. That Laurent was the youngest child and went through wandering 2 additional years in the past alone when compared to Lucina. This Laurent has someone, an actual adult to support him through those years, so expect him to have a few more moments like this.

Oh, and if anyone can point me in the direction of a map that shows where Rosanne is in Fire Emblem that would be much appreciated. I can't find a map, canon or fanon to work with. I'll just start making stuff up if I can't find anything within the next few chapters.


	3. Chapter 2: Grimdel's Past

A Boulder in the Path of Conquest Chapter 2

After knocking on the door, Laurent and Robin found themselves standing before a bear of a man. Despite his face showing his age, his bald head and his blonde mustache thinning, his bright blue eyes hinted at a sharp mind. One could tell he had lived several seasons, his wrinkled and leathery skin displaying a lifetime of travel and hard work. His muscles were large, and defined, so much so that it would not look out of place for him to suddenly flex and pose. Not unlike what you would expect from the mightiest of Generals. Despite only wearing a simple tunic, one that you could find on any farmer, it did not detract from his imposing stature.

 _And yet…._

"Ah, Robin and Laurent! Welcome to my home! It isn't much, but I think you'll find your stay here comfortable. Go on, Have a seat! I'll fetch us some apple cider."

 _Somehow, he isn't intimidating…_

Was what both Laurent and Robin thought as they watched the large man step into the back, humming a jaunty tune. Briefly glancing at each other to confirm if both were thinking the same, they turned their attention to the home they would most likely be staying in for the next few months.

Alfred's house was brightly colored, multiple books lined the numerous bookshelves, various etchings and drawings hung on the walls, and all of the furniture had red cushioning. The stone hearth was ablaze with a soothing fire, and throughout the floors were various rugs of different shapes, colors and designs. The outside of the house was drab, dull and at times downright menacing with how the shadows were cast at night. Yet, the inside was warm and cozy. Much like the man who lived here.

"This… was not what we were expecting when we were offered a place to stay. It's much more…"

"Eclectic? Or is the word you are looking for perhaps esoteric? Unless you wanted exotic, which I suppose also works here."

Laurent could only look dumbfounded at the smirking hulk of a man.

"Oh? Didn't expect a man of my stature to have such vocabulary in my repertoire? Ha ha!"

Alfred chuckled heartily at Laurent's stunned silence as he poured 3 glasses of cider.

"Souvenirs and trinkets from my various travels throughout the world before I settled down here."

"Oh? Were you some sort of general in the past?"

"Heh, I know not why everyone seems to think that, little Robin. No, I was a travelling merchant!"

 _How does a merchant gain muscles like that!? He's as built as a dragon and the height of my Father!_

Robin and Laurent could only stare incredulously as the man continued to speak.

"Yes, for 40 years I traveled the world, buying and selling collectables and treasures. For some reason, people caved during negotiations with relative ease. Even those that were reputed to be extremely miserly. I never understood why."

 _A man his size looking down on you with muscles like that tells you to 'lower your price, it's too high' tends to discourage people from disagreeing._

The pair glance at each other briefly, confirming their thoughts are still in sync as Alfred continued his tale.

"It was a good life, it even gave me a loving wife who…"

Alfred paused, his eyes watering.

"Who gave up everything to give me my daughter, Sofia."

Smiling nostalgically, he seemed to forget others were in the room.

"She was such a good child, wise and beautiful… Ah if only you were alive to see us now…"

Laurent and Robin's eyes shot up in surprise, noticing this, Alfred snapped back into the present.

"Ah, my apologies, guests of mine. I shouldn't bother you with such a sad tale when you have just arrived."

"It is of no concern; Robin and I both know it is easy to reminisce in the comfort of one's home."

"Ah, thank you for your understanding, child. Perhaps I can regale you with a different tale. What would you like to know?"

"Why not start with region we reside in now? Robin and I were new here, even before we became lost."

"Ah, there is not much to say about this land these days. The region we are in now is called Epirus. There are no large cities or city states in this area. Instead, there are several large towns and villages that thrive on trade and wine making. It is said that this forest was settled by the ancient Macedonians who followed King Michalis after he exiled himself from Archanea for the crimes he committed during the War of Shadows."

Alfred pauses, smiling in nostalgia.

"That would explain the rather large of number of wyverns that live in this region. Relatively docile wyverns too, compared to the feral ones in Wyvern Valley to the east. They say it is the remnants of Macedonia's dragon training that instills the level of respect they have for the humans living in this region. As long as you don't harass their nests, the wyverns here generally will leave you alone. Unless you let your livestock outside of the village limits or the caravans. They seem to think if livestock strays from the nearby humans, it's no longer needed and help themselves."

"Fascinating… do they accept human riders still?"

"That I don't know, little Laurent. Though, I heard that they allow humans with bearings of a knight to come close, but that is only a rumor."

Furrowing his brows in thought, Laurent contemplated the possibilities.

"This demands further study. I'll have to make a note of that and examine their behaviors later once the winter is over. You said Epirus thrives on trade, yes? What exactly does Epirus make?"

"Outside of quality wine and timber? Safety. Thanks to the wyverns 'discouraging' bandits outside of winter, Epirus is the safest route for merchants traveling between the Duchy of Rosanne, the Cho' sin Dynasts to the south, and the various city states to the northwest."

"Wait, the wyverns are hostile to bandits?!"

"Heh, indeed. Weren't you listening to me earlier Laurent? I said 'docile to those living in this region'. I don't know how, but they seem to know which groups of people are from outside the region and if they don't keep moving from village to village like an honest merchant, the wyverns get hostile really quick. The only time they don't is when they hibernate during the chill of winter. Why do you think the village was so wary of you two when you showed up? It's the only time bandits can do any successful raiding."

"Fascinating…"

Laurent sips on the apple cider, contemplating various hypotheses for the phenomena he just heard. Seeing him in such deep thought, Robin knew this would be a prime opportunity to tease him.

"Oh? Contemplating on becoming a Wyvern Rider, Laurent? Maybe to sweep up a certain blond or red-haired girl you've had a crush on off their feet?"

Laurent immediately blushes a deep red and spits out the cider.

"Wait, what?! How did you?!"

"I didn't, but thanks for confirming Laurent."

Robin preens herself from getting such a reaction from Laurent. Petty, but still amusing.

 _How did she guess? We've only been together for a day…. Wait she knew me from her world. Oh no… what else does she know?! Does she know about… wait, calm down Laurent. This is Lady Robin, she can read your face like an open book. Don't give anything about…_

"The incident in the hot springs."

Laurent could only turn ghastly white at Robin's innocent smile.

"Wah ha ha ha! Ease off the lad now Robin! Tease him too much and it won't be fun anymore!"

"Heh, true. Don't worry, I'll say no more Laurent."

Reaching over, Robin gently pats his head. Blushing, he closes his eyes but offers no resistance.

"For now."

 _Sigh, how nostalgic…_

"Hah, you have him trained already? You work fast little Robin! Stealing him from the cradle?"

The effects of Alfred's words were in a word, instantaneous. Robin's body turned rigid, stopping mid pat while her face became flushed, to the point where it matched the shade of Cordellia's hair. Laurent could only snicker at his teacher's embarrassment.

Her mind slowly rebooting from the embarrassment, she coughed into her hand. And much to her chagrin, Alfred was still grinning when she finally turned to face him.

"Ahem, anyways…"

"Alright lass, I'll stop teasing ya. So, is there anything else you want to learn from Old Alfred?"

"Hmm… why not the story of how this village came to be? I've never seen a village with this level of defenses before."

Alfred could only smile bitterly at Robin's question.

"Ah... that, my lass, that would be the story of my daughter's death."

* * *

 _20 years ago_

"Oof, my head…"

Alfred, just as massive as muscular as before but with a fuller mustache, rubbed his bald head, was feeling a tender bump on the back of his skull. Slightly dizzy, he looks at his surroundings.

 _This isn't my caravan… and bars? Am I in some sort of prison? How in Naga's name did I end up here? Ugh… last thing I remember was stopping in that village for the night… Screaming, I woke up from the screaming. I got up to see what was happening to see… fire… the whole place was on fire. Then when I turned around to check in Sofia, I found her out of the room and when she saw me she screamed and then... nothing. Tsk, it's too dark to see anything here… maybe I should test to see if the cell is locked..._

Just as Alfred moved to test the bars, he was blinded by a bright light as the door to the room opened.

"Oh? The old man is awake? Good, just in time to work like the others."

Alfred could only tilt his head in bewilderment before the brute opened the cage and promptly punched him in the stomach and kicked him onto his side once he fell down.

"That is for your whore of a daughter. Gave our boys quite a few scratches, bruises, and bite marks before she settled down. But don't worry, we gave her quite the lesson in discipline. Over time she'll learn to perform better in bed."

The man smiled cruelly, gloating at a father's misery.

Alfred, first looking up in horror, slowly morphed into rage. Getting forcing himself back up he moved to tackle the man, only for the brute to sidestep him. Stumbling forward, Alfred pivoted around to face the brute, only to be met with cold steel upon his neck.

"Ah, feisty one aren't you. At least we know where the whore got it from."

Glaring at the man, Alfred quietly began contemplating his options. Just as his mind was beginning to clear, more men entered the room, one of whom casually held a bloody weapon at his side.

"Oi, don't go killing this one too. I just had to kill a few for insubordination. The boss isn't going to like it if too many of the 'servants' are killed before we have a chance to restock."

The brute threatening Alfred gave a sadistic smile, relishing at the conflicted look of despair and indignation upon his victim's face.

"Heh, today's your lucky day old man, looks like you get to enjoy our generosity in allowing you to help us make Epirus strong again. Don't worry, the boys and I will do your 'fatherly' duty in disciplining your daughter. Hee hee hee…."

As Alfred was led away, he did not allow himself to think on how his daughter was being disgraced. Instead, he subtly looked at every hall, every door, everyone he could look at, making notes as he was escorted outside. Focusing everything he could in observing his surroundings, he told himself he was doing all that he could for his daughter, and things will be made right.

* * *

Once Alfred was dragged outside, he was greeted by a disheartening scene. It was already dusk as the sun was beginning to set. Several armed bandits were patrolling the grounds, forcing captured villagers from the surrounding villages to excavate the earth and pack it into the nearly finished walls. He could tell from the resigned looks on several of the captives that this had been going on for some time.

Once Alfred and his captors reached one of the groups working on excavating the earth, they shoved him into the group.

"Oi, you lot, explain to this geezer what his new occupation is. I want him working hard in a few minutes. Do well and we'll keep being gracious to you ungrateful swine."

Chuckling darkly, the man waved his fellows away and began patrolling the various captive groups, screaming obscenities to keep them working.

"I see you're the latest victim of ' _Lord'_ Redwald."

Alfred could taste the sarcasm as the man next to him uttered those words.

"What is going on here? Why are the bandits so strong here?"

The man could only give a bitter smile.

"Ah, so you are a passing merchant. Explains why no one recognized you. The name is Maurice, used to live in a nearby village, till _Lord_ Redwald burned it down for fun."

Maurice started shoveling earth into a wheelbarrow, not bothering to ask Alfred to do the same.

"The wyverns will attack bandits from the outside. They won't save us from ourselves. Redwald here was a local petty thug until almost a year ago. One day he and his thugs teamed up with some disgraced soldiers from the Lord of Epirus and have been throwing their weight around. Once it became clear the Lord would do nothing in response, they started kidnapping and enslaving local towns and villages to build this fort. He fancies himself a lord now. With earthen walls, encased with wood, none, save a true army, will be able to dislodge him."

"Strange, why would a noble allow a bandit to set themselves up as a lord without resistance."

"Beats me merchant. All I know is that all that's left is the gate after today and _Lord_ Redwald will be the real power here."

Alfred furrowed his brows in contemplation.

 _This makes no sense… even the most idiotic of lords would not stand for such a display of disrespect or rebellion. Unless said noble is benefiting from it. But how?_

Alfred's thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice screaming at them.

"Oi you lot, stop lazing about. Maybe some pain will motivate you."

The brute started walking menacingly towards the group, only to pause when an armed elderly man with spiky black hair casually walking towards him. The man looked to be in his 50's walked in, sword in his right hand, a dagger in the other.

"I wouldn't advise that whelp. You might end up dead at this rate."

"Pff… I don't know who you think you are old man or where the hell you even came from, but I'll teach you a lesson in rebelling against your betters!"

The brute charged the old man, axe raised high, and swung down with all of his might... only for the old man to casually sidestep and and swing horizontally with his sword, leaving a shallow gash on the bandit's chest.

"The name is Anton, _**whelp**_."

His eyes narrowed in contempt at the bandit.

"And you think yourself my better? I suppose this old man is going to break that delusion of yours."

Snarling, the bandit rushed Anton again, swinging a flurry of savage blows. But it quickly became apparent the old man was vastly more experienced than his opponent. Afterall, what is the point of having great might and strength, if you strike nothing but air? The bandit struck again, and _again_ , and **again** , yet each time accomplishing nothing but receiving another gash for his efforts.

Sighing in disappointment, Anton casually threw his sword to one of the nearby captives.

"Here, cut the bindings of the others. My friends should be wiping out the rest of the guards outside as we speak. I can handle this weakling without it."

Despite bleeding profusely, the bandit's face became flush with rage.

"How dare you! I'll fucking kill you old man!"

Charging forward, he placed both hands on his axe, raised it above his head and swung down with all the force he can muster… again. Anton could only gaze at him in disappointment as he took a single step back, sidestepping the blow and with his right hand, stabbed him in the side of his stomach. Reeling from the blow and clutching his side, the bandit looked down at the dagger protruding from his flesh. Stunned at the sight, the fool was oblivious as Anton casually walked forward and merely, with gusto, struck the fool's nose, sending the man tumbling on the ground. Then, before bandit could react, Anton stomped his boot mercilessly on his foe's crotch, leaving him writhing in agony in the ground. Walking away and towards the work equipment, Anton nods at the dumbfounded captives and points at a nearby sledge hammer.

"Can I use that?"

The captives nodded in disbelief, as their tormentor was still on the ground, moaning in pain.

"Good."

Walking back to the bandit, Anton gazed hard on his fallen foe.

"Do you know what a delusion, a nose, and a life have in common, _**whelp**_?"

The bandit could only look up in fear.

"They can be broken and shattered with one well placed blow."

Anton lifted up the hammer, and swung with precision at the bandit's neck, crushing his windpipe, and shattering the spine.

"May you spend the last few moments of your wretched life wallowing in misery and reflecting on your stupidity."

Dropping the hammer, Anton looked at the captives, now unbound.

"Come with me everyone, we are getting you out of here. I see many of you with a rekindled fighting spirit, but we can do so after you are properly armed. Let's go!"

Anton motioned for everyone to follow him, as they ran, Alfred noticed that there were other groups of captives being led to safety. Surprised at the lack of guards, he spoke aloud the question that was on everyone's minds.

"Where are the guards and the rest of the bandits?"

"They are in the fort, drinking themselves into a stupor."

Anton answered, his panting as his age was slowly catching up to them while they were running.

"To celebrate the Fort nearing completion, they stole ale and wine from the local towns for a party. They left only a few outside to keep you guys in line."

"Huh, that explains why they were even harsher than normal," muttered one of the other captives.

But none of this mattered to Alfred. After three hours of running, they found themselves at a makeshift camp, with several racks of weapons laying about.

"Those who wish to go back and free the others, grab which weapon is most comfortable for you. We march in an hour!"

Remembering Anton's display earlier, Alfred grabbed a nearby hammer. Hefting it up, he felt the balance and the weight of the weapon. Smiling grimly, he looked towards the direction they fled from.

 _Don't worry Sofia my child, I'm coming back for you._

After an hour, as Anton promised, he, his friends and most of the rescued captives marched back armed and with a grim resolve. Only to be greeted by a burning fort when they returned.

* * *

Alfred paused in his storytelling and closed his eyes, immersing himself in the memories.

Laurent and Robin glanced at each other briefly and waited for Alfred to collect himself. Only after a few minutes of silence had passed did Laurent dare to speak.

"So.. what happened? What caused the fort to ignite?"

Alfred opened his eyes and turned towards Laurent, smiling bitterly at the memory.

"When we arrived, there were only the captives and a handful of the bandits outside. And after interrogating the lot did we find the truth…"

Pausing once more, Alfred took a deep breath to calm himself.

"My daughter, bright lass… she... she tricked the dumb bastards into fighting each other in their drunken stupor. While they were busy beating each other to death, she nabbed the keys to the other girls' restraints. Once they started sneaking out, she stayed behind to keep their attention."

Alfred's eyes began to water, his voice quivering beneath his mustache.

"And once they were out, she lowered the bar to lock the main door… and she… she took a torch and lit the alcohol ablaze… trapping herself and most of the bandits inside…"

Robin and Laurent could only look in horror. Especially Robin.

 _If that were to happen to me… and I lost Morgan and Lucina…_

Robin was snapped out of her thoughts when Laurent posed one more question.

"What happened to the surviving bandits?"

Alfred sported a dark grin.

"We repaid their… _'Generosity'_ in full."

Laurent shuddered as he noted the venom in Alfred's voice. Robin on the other hand nods in understanding. She too would show no mercy to those who would wrong her children.

"I see, afterwards you built a village upon the ruins of the bandits' dreams? Fitting, in a way."

"Nah, Anton and the others whose villages were razed to build that damn fort did. I couldn't bring myself to stay. After getting my affairs in order, I continued my trade as a merchant, if only to keep my mind off what happened. That was until about 4 years ago."

Robin raised a brow at that time frame.

"Oh, what happened?"

"A tale for another day lass. It is well into the night, and I suspect you both would like some sleep. Come along now, time to show you to your room."

Alfred gets up and begins to walk into the adjacent hall, motioning for the two to follow. Laurent, deep in thought, nods absentmindedly and gets up to follow. Robin tagged along, noting the concern on his face. Neither noticed the smirk on Alfred's face as he led them on.

* * *

"Well… normally I don't have guests so I only have one guest room… and one bed."

Alfred could barely keep himself from laughing seeing the blushes on both Laurent's and Robin's faces.

"So, the two of you are going to need to share. The nights here are bitterly cold so don't bother thinking about sleeping on the chair."

Robin at this point was no longer listening, as she was busy formulating on ways to share the room while preserving her modesty. Meanwhile Laurent, normally the most level headed of the future children, was too busy trying to get his nerves under control and his blush to a shade below Cordellia's hair.

Smirking at their discomfort, Alfred began to walk out of the room, only to peek his head back in for one last tidbit.

"Oh, and because I wasn't expecting guests, I didn't put much thought into the walls. In other words… they are really thin."

Winking at the pair, he walks away with a booming laugh… which the walls barely muffled.

The pair, understanding the implications, merely glanced at each other before looking away in embarrassment. Of the two, Robin was the first to recover.

"Well… seeing how it's a bad idea to not share the bed, I suggest we take advantage of the multiple blankets. You can sleep under the first blanket, and I'll sleep to the side on top of it. That way we could use it as a buffer. There are 2 more blankets on top as well as a fur comforter. We should be fine."

Still blushing, Laurent took off his cloak and mages robe, leaving his tunic, pants and socks on. Climbing in, he looked towards Robin to find her undressing to her underclothes. Laurent promptly found the wall incredibly interesting until Robin climbed into the bed. Still looking at the wall, Laurent whispered:

"Lady Robin, have you no shame? You are almost nude!"

"Ehhhhh? But... this is a lot for me. Normally I sleep nude."

Sputtering uncontrollably, he continued to stare at the ever so increasingly interesting wall, hoping his blush isn't so readily apparent. Unfortunately, as his mind was still flustered, he could not stop himself from asking.

"Wouldn't you be cold then?"

"Normally, no. I usually had Chrom to keep me warm."

Robin could barely keep herself from laughing, watching as Laurent's blush creeped into his neck. Feeling mischievous, she decided to tease him a little more.

"Well then Laurent, I'm trusting you to be a gentleman in bed, ok?"

Laurent nodded absentmindedly, until his mind finally caught up with the innuendo and his body stiffened.

Chuckling softly, Robin wrapped herself with some more blankets.

"But in all seriousness though, I know you'd never do it, but I'm going to warn you all the same. If you touch me intentionally, you _**will**_ be punished."

Shuddering at her tone, but unable to restrain his curiosity, Laurent slowly turned to look at Robin. And with the most angelic smile she delivered the most demonic of messages.

" _ **I'll break the offending limb~**_ "

Laurent quickly found himself praying to Naga that he did not toss and turn in his sleep that night.

* * *

An hour after the exchange, Robin tilted her head towards Laurent. Noting his breathing, she softly whispered:

"Alright Laurent, what's bothering you."

"How did you know I was awake?"

"Your breathing. When you sleep, you actually breathe heavily. Not snoring, but loud enough to notice if you are nearby."

Laurent immediately turned his head to face Robin. The surprise evident on his face.

"How would you know this Lady Robin?"

"Well, in the last timeline you found out I was overworking myself to keep the army going, so you decided to help me, over my own protests mind you. Sometimes, after whenever we had to do a forced march, you'd pass out with me in the command tent after helping me manage the shepherd's logistics."

Robin closed her eyes, smiling at the memories.

"Normally I woke up first, but whenever I saw you sleeping so peacefully I couldn't bring myself to wake you up. So often times, I ended up finishing whatever we were working on while you napped."

Laurent fell silent as he mused over her words.

 _It's strange, hearing about myself that is not myself. But at least I proved myself to be a worthwhile ally in that timeline. And I shall do so again._

Smiling while making that promise to himself, he was treated to the sight of Robin giving him what he believed to be a motherly smile. A smile that promised safety and acceptance.

"So Laurent, what is bothering you? Is it that the past was not as peaceful as you thought?"

Laurent's eyes widened for a moment before he calmed himself down.

 _Hah, I had forgotten for a moment Lady Robin was a close friend to my other self. I cannot fathom a means to hide a secret from her._

Smiling wryly, he nodded in affirmation.

"Indeed, without the threat of Grima and his Risen, I cannot comprehend the rationale of committing such depraved acts. In the future I saw lesser men engage in such acts when they lost their inhibitions during that hell. But why now? In the past there is no such doom to spur such madness."

Robin turned her head to look at the ceiling, closing her eyes to gather her thoughts.

"If I had to guess, it was because of the power vacuum."

"Power vacuum?"

"Yes… in the previous timeline, after I lost my memories, I threw myself into my studies. I was afraid that I could be abandoned by the first people to show me kindness after I lost everything. Politics, tactics, history, fiction, et cetera. Anything that could help me understand the world. During that time, I noticed several trends."

"Trends? What kinds of trends?"

"Wars do take a lot of lives, but the majority of the suffering takes place in the aftermath. After the war, there is almost always a power vacuum. It happens with both sides, but especially the defeated parties. With the established powers weakened or destroyed, men with ambition, both good and evil begin to crave dominance."

"I see… so if there was one power that could not be denied, it could keep those ambitious men in check?"

"Yes, but that comes with its own set of problems. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If one party were able to become dominant, they would lose themselves to arrogance and become tyrants. And tyrants never stay in power forever."

"Then what about if power was equally divided?"

"Were it so easy. If two powers are at peace, they can easily start abusing power just like the singular power of a tyrant. If they are oppose each other, then nothing would be accomplished due to the constant cycle of sabotage and re-balance. And should one side stumble, the opposing party will become the single dominant party, bringing us back to square one."

"Then… what hope is there?"

"Well, humanity is still working on that. I have a hypothesis on what could work, but we won't know until it happens."

"And what would that be?"

"You have one party that is dominant, but not to the extent where it cannot be opposed."

"How is that different from before?"

"Before, it divided the world into 2 powers, in this case it would be closer to 7. If before it was 50-50 power, this scenario has a single group at 40% to 6 groups of 10%. The dominant group cannot be challenged by any other single power, but united, the other powers can overcome it. That way, the dominant group can be a force for change, but will be held in check by the others."

"Do you truly believe it could work?"

"In all honestly, I have no idea. But it's worth a shot don't you think? And even if I'm wrong, it's just back to the books, like it has always been."

Laurent could only furrow his brows as he contemplated Robin's words. Smiling at the seriousness of her student, Robin reached over and ruffled his hair.

"No need to stress over this kind of stuff now though. I'd rather us focus on kicking Grima's ass first."

Smiling, Laurent nodded his head and took a deep breath.

"Thank you, Lady Robin. I needed that."

"It's no problem. Let's get some sleep. I get the feeling we'll be busy tomorrow with our new hosts."

The pair turned to their sides, backs facing each other. Only this time, Robin was treated the sounds of Laurent's heavier breaths before she too faded into her own dreamscape.

* * *

Author's notes:

Hey peeps! Thanks for reading!

A special thanks to my editor, without him this would only be about 70% as good as it is now. And he edited my Author's notes too. Not sure how I feel about that. (I'm not here I swear)

As for those of you who were wondering, yes, Robin will be changing her name in the future, in about 3 chapters or so. ...unless I change my mind and make it sooner… or later… :3

As for calling this region Epirus, while researching Fire Emblem lore, I noticed that one of the countries that Marth had to fight against was Macedonia, and the King Michalis could survive and join the party. In his epilogue, it said he went on to rule Macedonia or left to rule a different country. So I thought, if he felt remorseful, he wouldn't take the throne that he debased himself for. So he left to form a new kingdom in this timeline.

In real life, Macedonia was the kingdom that gave birth to Alexander the Great. Epirus was a Greek kingdom to the southwest that often challenged them for dominance until their last great commander died.

Despite trolling through the internet, and begging my friends (and editor) to help me research, I could not find any official sources describing the continent of Valm. The exact locations of the mentioned countries such as Rosanne and Cho'sin, could not be found… Or the various other countries that Walhart supposedly conquered during the timeskip of Awakening.

It's difficult to write a war story without mentioning locations or the countries involved, so this chapter, and a few of the future ones to come are going to be dedicated to world building.

* * *

Editor's Note: This boi, he be makin' all them mistakes like dafaq. Editing is like getting early access to a bugged game and being told to debug it. Fun. Regardless, fun read, fun times, and some other fun thoughts. Forever.


	4. Chapter 3: Ill Tidings

A Boulder in the Path of Conquest Chapter 3

"Tsk, how irritating."

A woman with long, pink, flowing hair briskly strides down a furnished stone hallway. Guards and maids smile wryly as she walks by, giving brief bows of respect as she passes through. As she walks closer to the center of the mansion, a scowl slowly forms on her face as she approaches the door.

"… thank you my dear, your wit and charm simply exude that of a refined lady! I am surprised your master is not as taken with you as I am!"

Closing her eyes, she steps back and stands respectfully away from the door, waiting for those within to finish.

"Ah, thank you Duke Virion. If only I could serve you instead."

"My lady, such a scandalous proposition! Alas, we cannot, for duty keeps us apart. But do please return when you can, for my life is made all the more lovely with you in it."

With the muffled sounds of a maiden giggling, the door opens and lovely teenage girl walks out with a light blue haired man. Seeing the pink haired woman waiting outside for him, he gestures at the nearby guards, and they walk forward towards the pair.

"Forgive me my dear, but it seems my responsibilities demand my attention. My men will escort you back to the inn. After all, it wouldn't do to risk one such as you to any depraved man wandering upon the streets this evening."

Blushing, the girl nods respectfully.

"May I see you again?"

"Ah, but of course my dear! You leave tomorrow afternoon do you not? Perhaps my lady, if you don't mind myself being bold, I could mayhaps visit you tomorrow in the morning. I would love to see you one last time before resigning myself to months without your presence."

Embarrassed, the girl looks down at the floor, unwilling to make eye contact.

"Of course, Duke Virion, I'd love to."

"Then a date it is! I will see you then, my sweet dove!"

The maiden, still flushed performs a curtsy, unaware of the wry smiles from the guards behind her.

Virion, smiling confidently, waits for her to walk out of sight before turning towards the pink haired woman.

"Ah, my sweet Cherche! How surprised I am to see you here! Were you so lonely that you simply had to be with your dashing lord even without being called?"

"…"

Cherche merely responded with a smile… that somehow caused a dark aura to ooze around her. Virion's chevalier attitude quickly melted away at the sight.

"I see you are beset with misfortune my lady… what, dare I ask, afflicts you so?"

"Lord Virion… you missed out on today's training, as well as the local tour of the surrounding villages. The one we had been planning… for months."

"Ah, my dear that…"

"If you say it was to console the heart of a maiden, I'll ask Minerva to _**help**_ you make up for the lost time. _**Choose your next words wisely~**_ "

"Very well, if you desire. It has come to my attention that we need to make a merchant caravan immediately for the city states to the northwest."

Cherche opened her eyes slowly, an aura of irritation leaking out. Only for it to fizzle at the sight of Virion's serious expression.

"What happened?"

"Come, this is too dreary a spot to have such a talk."

Virion walks back into his office, with Cherche in tow. Pouring two glasses of wine, he passes one to Cherche who politely accepts and takes a sip.

"So, what is wrong Lord Virion?"

"Seleucia is on the move. They are transporting 3 tons of gold bullions to the northwest as well as arms for 5 thousand men."

Cherche's eyes widened at the news.

"That's enough gold for **armies** of mercenaries… how did you find out?"

"Ah, a sweet little dove told me, one that requires my presence tomorrow morning to soothe her fears of the future."

"I see… so the 'merchant caravan's' true purpose is to investigate the region?"

"Indeed, for Seleucia to make such a play, something extraordinary must have happened. To part with such wealth… they must be terrified. We would be fools to ignore this."

"Indeed, but to reach the Imperial plains, we need to pass through the Valmese Gates… and Rosanne can't afford the tolls if we are sending an entire caravan."

"Ah, but House Virion can."

"I see… you really are serious. This will set your family back a year's worth of gold, you know that?"

"Yes."

Looking at the somber face of Virion, Cherche nodded, her annoyance long forgotten.

"Very well then, I'll withdraw my complaints. I'll handle the tour, and make a convincing excuse as to why you couldn't make it. For once, you won't have to worry about your reputation of philandering getting worse."

Cherche smirked, hoping to get a reaction, only for it to settle into a concerned frown when she saw Virion, lost in thought looking at a map of Valm with narrowed eyes. Realizing that her lord needs some time alone to think, she respectfully bows and leaves the room.

Closing his eyes, Virion tries to organize his thoughts.

 _The Imperial Plains is where the former capital province of Saint-King Alm I, of the One Kingdom of Valentia, and its later incarnation as the Valmese Empire. At least, until Seleucia's rebellion. But that doesn't matter now. What could be in the Imperial plains that would have Seleucia so concerned? They control about half the continent through influence, if not direct control._

Focusing on the northwestern portion of the map, he zeroes in on the names of the various powers in the valley.

 _Vega, Algol, Altair, Rigelis, Antares, Saiph. They are the only powers of note up there. And Vega, Algol and Saiph are under the pocket of Seleucia to begin with._

Furrowing his brows in thought, Virion wracked his mind for possible answers.

 _What am I missing? These powers are known, Seleucia has nothing to fear because they have been playing them against each other for centuries now. What other powers could be a work? Well, there is Valm of course, but they only have symbolic power. Any real might they had fell with the Empire centuries ago._

Sighing, Virion finished his glass of wine and walked towards a door at the opposite side of the room's entrance. Opening it, a gust of cold air rushed into the room, blowing various and possibly important documents (miscellaneous love letters) off the desk. Unconcerned, he stepped out onto a balcony and watched as the Sun slowly set in the distance.

 _Winter will end soon… The caravan must be sent out once the ice melts. But, I fear what news they will bring back._

Shifting his focus away from the setting sun, he gazes towards his city. People could still be seen walking about, tending to their own business despite the chill in the air.

 _But for them, I will endure anything…_

* * *

"Ugh… what in Naga's name did I eat?"

"I find it ironic that the victorious participant of this exercise is the one at risk of emptying the contents of her stomach."

"Heh, yeah, what he said."

"Yeah… are you ok Miss Robin?"

In the militia training grounds of Grimdel, surrounded by cheering villagers, Robin found herself dry heaving after thoroughly dominating everyone sent against her for training. Her latest batch of victims: Laurent, Samson, and Thomas lie bruised on the ground, grinning wryly at Robin's misery.

Bemused, the head of Grimdel, Anton walks over to the defeated boys and pulls them back up, one by one.

"Well boys, you definitely need to train harder if you were beaten so handily by a woman battling intense nausea."

"Intense?"

Thomas tilts his head in confusion.

"Surely it couldn't be that bad?"

"Oh? You think so, _whelp_? Look closer."

The three focused on the indomitable woman. She stood tall and unwavering… until they noticed a constant sway. It was only then they realized she was feeling off balance during the entire encounter. Robin's eyes were glazed over, her face a subtle shade of green. She had the look of someone who would rather be sitting down and resting, not defeating the entire village's militia in groups of 3 nonstop.

"Chief… you noticed?"

"Indeed Thomas, she grew ill after the second group. She was still trampling through all of you though, so I chose not to interfere. I must say I'm disappointed. 27 youths defeated by an ill woman."

Shaking his head, Anton walked over to Robin. Taking her arm, he placed if over his shoulder.

"Come on lass, you finished training the kids, let's get you laying down and resting."

Nodding weakly, Robin closed her eyes and leaned on to the older man. Anton glanced at some of the women and mouthed out 'ginger' to them. The women in turn nodded and departed. They will not allow their newest comrade to suffer any longer.

Looking at each other's sorry state, Laurent, Thomas, and Samson dusted each other off and stretched.

"Gods, that was brutal. How did she get so strong?"

"No idea Samson, hey Laurent, do you have any idea?"

"I have my suspicions, but I shall refrain from uttering them in case my hypothesis is nothing more than a fallacy."

The blue haired teen inquired his red-haired peer with a raised eyebrow.

"He means he has a good guess but doesn't want to share it in case he is wrong… I think."

Laurent nods.

"Indeed, you are correct."

"Ugh, Laurent I know you aren't a snooty bastard like those Seleucid nobles, but it's still hard to understand you at times."

"My apologies Samson, I will endeavor to modify my vernacular practices to be more aligned with those of Epirus."

"Gods, dammit man..."

Samson could only facepalm as Laurent continued to use language that was difficult for him to comprehend.

 _By Naga above, who raised this guy? I think he's trying to say that he'll try to use simpler language… by using really snooty words. Gods, if he wasn't a genuinely half decent person, I think I'd hate him._

"Eh, don't worry about it Laurent. Samson and I can just get used to learning your more fancy words. Not like learning more is a bad thing, right?"

"Indeed Thomas, although I believe Samson has a valid argument. If I am unable to properly communicate with other parties due to my use of an unfamiliar vern… vocabulary, it can potentially become inconvenient, or outright dangerous for all involved."

Samson could only give a bitter smile.

 _Well, he's saying I'm right about something at least. At least that's what I think he's saying. Jeez… well, at least they didn't fan the flames of outrage towards me when I messed up at the gate 2 months ago. Huh, now that I think about it, ever since they came people haven't come at to me like they used too._

Shrugging, Samson waved bye to the pair and walked off towards the walls.

"Heading off to the walls again. I never quite understood the appeal of just walking around."

"Perhaps it is force of habit from his youth Thomas."

"Maybe… it's something he's just always done."

"In the future I must interview him later to understand his rational. Perhaps the inquiry would be useful in understanding of the mind's decision-making process."

Smiling, Thomas could only give an exasperated sigh as he shook his head.

"Hah… the fact that I'm already used to you talking like this makes it feel like you've been here for years instead of just two months."

Laurent focuses his attention back onto his peer, brow raised in curiosity.

"Oh no Laurent, I'm not going to be your research project today! Don't you have to teach the little ones more of that science stuff you were talking about? I mean, didn't Robin say teaching is the best way to learn?"

"Indeed, she did. Thank you for reminding me Thomas. I'll see you tomorrow for training."

"Yep, see ya later Laurent."

After watching the brown-haired teen leave, Thomas sported a wry smile.

 _Phew… looks like I dodged an arrow there. Once Laurent starts asking questions he won't stop till you've told him everything related to it, and a lot that's not. Feels like they've been here since the beginning. I kinda want those two to stay. They won't though, destined for bigger things than just staying here._

Hearing the cheers of the children with Laurent's arrival, he could only sport a wistful smile before walking back home. He still had chores to do after all.

* * *

"Ugh… why me?"

Anton could only smile wryly at Robin's suffering.

 _At least I took her to Alfred's home… mine will be spared._

"Don't worry Robin, the others should bring in ginger tea and other assorted treatments for your ills."

"Ugggghhhhhhhhhhhhh….."

Robin's head slams onto the table. All the silverware shook and clanked from the force of the impact. Briefly glancing, Anton noticed some were cracked.

 _The impact from her head damaged the silverware? But she only hit the table… oh dear..._

"Robin… are you alright?"

"Ugh… the world be damned, kill me now please…"

"I'll take that as a strong no…"

Chuckling, Anton began rubbing Robin's back.

"You'll live, hopefully… although I wonder why you are so sick."

"If I knew, I wouldn't be suffering right now."

"And you believe that because?"

"If I knew what I had, I would also know the cure. Neither Grima or high water would stop me from attaining it."

"With your level of skill, I believe it."

A comfortable silence ensued, ignoring Robin's obvious discomfort and moans of pain, at least.

"Ugh… so what is it you want to ask me?"

"Hm? What makes you say that?"

"I've been here for two months now Anton, and I've picked up on your tells. You want to ask me something, so you have me here, alone where no one else can hear. But, you are too kind hearted to follow through upon seeing me miserable. Just ask the damn question."

Anton's eyes widened for a moment before he composed himself.

"You truly are a perceptive child. Which is what leads to my question. How did you gain so much experience in battle? You carry yourself as one who has seen and fought in wars."

"Because I have."

"I see, may I ask which ones?"

"You may, but I won't answer."

"The reason being?"

"I'm on the verge of throwing up and you want to think about the bloody aftermath of battles right now?"

"Fair enough."

"Oh no… Umph!"

 _Truly, this was a god-sent idea to bring her to Alfred's house…_

"Ah, Anton, I heard that Robin is ill is there- MY MAHOGANY TABLE! MY IMPORTED SILVERWARE! NOOOO!"

Robin cringed at the sudden loudness that was Alfred.

"Ugh… Alfred… please stop… my head…"

"There, there… it'll be better Robin…"

Continuing to rub Robin's back, Anton glares at the former merchant.

"Honestly Alfred? This young woman is miserable and you are going to focus on material things?"

"But… but…"

Alfred eyes could only start to water in despair...

When the women finally arrived with the ginger tea, they were greeted to Alfred on his knees, crying to heavens above for the injustice committed before him, while Robin and Anton looked on. Anton wore a sardonic smile that seemed to project the words, "better you than me." Meanwhile, Robin had a look that begged for the sweet release of death.

Looking at each other, the women came to a decision. Picking up Robin, they carried her out of the house to rest elsewhere, leaving Anton to deal with the grief-stricken Alfred... alone. When Anton tried to follow them out, they all gave him a frosty glare, stunning him in place. Resigned to his fate, he merely stood petrified while Alfred bear hugged him, crying loudly into his ear.

 _Truly… mistakes were made..._

* * *

"You know, as mind-numbingly boring watching the gates are, at least I'm not suffering alone this time."

"Sometimes, I hate you Samson."

"Hey, it's not my fault Emily had to stay at home to take care of Robin!"

"Yeah, but it is your fault we now have a rule that 2 sentries must be manning the gate in the first place."

Samson and Thomas could only sigh in annoyance. The sun had already set, and they were due to keep watch for another 3 hours. Bitterly cold gusts of wind seeped into the guards' room, the walls worn down and ill maintained, hardly providing shelter. The two were anxiously pacing the room, shivering in a vain attempt to stay warm.

"Gods, if only I had some blankets. Oh that's right, that's a ' _distraction'_. Can't have that, now can we?"

"Oh shut up Samson, if you didn't try to build a heated blanket table with a lantern or whatever it's called and fell asleep, you could still have the blankets…"

Pausing to think more on the incident, Thomas gave Samson an incredulous look.

"And you even put beeswax in your ears… why in the 9 hells you thought that was a good idea is beyond me."

"It's not like I expected anyone to come! And it's called a kotatsu dammit! They make 'em in the south in Cho'sin. And I swear, they are so comfortable you could make a religion out of it!"

"Are you seriously trying to imply a table with a blanket is that comfortable? I think not!"

" _Uh… hello? We'd like to enter."_

"And that is why you're an uncultured pig! In this frozen pit of a guard room, it is a piece of heaven unto itself!"

"Then why were you sleeping in the bed last time?!"

" _Hello? Can't you hear us up there!?"_

"That's because I didn't have a chance to bring it here last time! I wasn't scheduled to be here during the festival so I didn't have a chance to bring it beforehand!"

"Bah! I think you are just making excuses because your shoddy imitations can't measure up to the real things!"

" _Uh… chief they aren't listening…"_

" _Such foolishness, the gate isn't even properly secured. We'll just walk in and talk to Anton directly. C'mon."_

"You take that back! I may not be up to their standards yet but I am improving! There is nothing that states an imitation cannot surpass the original!"

"Yeah, because it never needed to be stated in the first place! What's your next brilliant saying _o wise Samson_? Just because your right doesn't mean you are right? People die when they are killed?! Birthdays are the day you celebrate your birth?!"

"You piece of…."

The argument continued for another 20 minutes, and just as the two were about to come to blows, they both heard a familiar voice.

" _Elwind!"_

A viridian gust burst open the door and sent dust flying everywhere, the two occupants of the room broke into fits of coughing. Thomas, barely able to breath asked the question on both of their minds.

"What... *cough cough* the hell was that for Laurent!"

"I came to retrieve the both of you. Anton is most displeased at your dereliction of duties."

"Dereliction… what do you mean dereliction!? We've been here the whole time!"

"Indeed, and did you not notice a party of 23, 10 adults and 13 children, open the gates and allow themselves in?"

Samson could only look dumbfounded at the news.

"But we were here the entire time! How could we have missed that!"

"The party said the two of you were arguing about a kotatsu. Anton was most unamused at that part of their tale."

The pair could only look at each other, their previous animosity forgotten at the face of their impending doom.

"We are screwed, aren't we?"

"If I had to make an educated guess… yes, I would say the two of you are."

"And you won't let us run, will you?"

"I have no intention in facilitating my own self destruction."

The pair could only hang their heads in resignation. At least they didn't need an interpreter this time.

"Damn… we're both going to die then… A shame I didn't have a chance to show you the wonders of a kotatsu."

"Don't you start with this again Samson!"

 _Fascinating… even when it is the cause of their own imminent demise neither wishes to relent in this argument. Continuing this line of argument could only make things worse for them. I should observe to see if either of them realizes the mortal peril they are in. The faces they will make should they realize their mistake will be most humorous… I mean illuminating, yes, quite... illuminating._

It was at this exact moment that Laurent truly began to walk to path of his master, for he shared her mischievous smirk when they eventually realized their continued arguing has only increased their upcoming misery.

* * *

"Gods that was awful…"

"Are you sure you should be up Robin? You were really sick earlier."

"I'm feeling better now, but don't worry I'll be getting rest again soon. I just want to check up on Alfred and Anton before I do."

Robin, and a teenager girl with amber hair found themselves briskly walking the dirt pathways of the village.

"Thanks for coming with me Emily. I do feel more at ease knowing if I do suddenly fall ill again, someone will be nearby. I won't be dying in a ditch tonight!"

Emily could only sport an uneasy smile, not knowing if Robin had grim humor or was being serious. Robin, on the other hand was unusually chipper, as if she was attempting to make up for lost time. Once they reached Alfred's house however, they were greeted by an unusual sight. A large crowd of unfamiliar faces waited outside. Their clothes were torn and ragged, and there faces portrayed exhaustion.

"Eh, who are these people?"

"Refugees…"

"Uhm, what do you mean refugees, Robin?"

"Just head back and tell the other women ready themselves, Emily. I suspect something terrible has happened."

Emily nodded, but found herself looking uneasily at Robin, concern upon her face. Robin noticed this, and sported a confident smile.

"Don't worry about me, I'll have Anton and Alfred on hand should I get sick again. Now go on, shoo! We have a lot of people we need to feed for the next month or so if my guess is correct."

Emily paused for a moment before acquiescing. Nodding, she turned and in a brisk pace made her way back to the other women.

With Emily gone, Robin's eyes narrowed as she walked by the refugees, noting their despondent looks but saying nothing. Opening the door, she could already hear Anton speaking.

"I see, this is disturbing news… how many villages have been affected already?"

"Three, Sir Anton. Two villages and a town. We are the advance group, and the others should be arriving in the next few days."

"Hmm… we do have the space for all of you if we set up tents to supplement the houses but… I'm not sure how to deal with the bandits."

 _Tsk, bandits. I knew it._

Uncaring of decorum, Robin walked further into the house, eventually reaching Anton, Alfred, the other village elders, and the leaders of the refugees.

"Bandits? How many? What is their composition?"

The group inside could only look bewildered at Robin's sudden appearance. The refugees looked at Anton questioningly, to which he nodded. Hesitantly, they began to speak.

"It's a bandit raiding party of about 200 men. They've already razed two villages and sacked a town… That we know of at least. They've overwhelmed every militia sent at them with sheer numbers. Grimdel has best fortifications nearby, so everyone is making our way here while we can."

Solemnly nodding, Anton continued for the poor man.

"Unfortunately, Grimdel lacks the food stores to support the number of people on the way there. And it is not as if we could expect the refugees to pack up all their supplies and make it here on such short notice. Should the Bandits decide to lay siege, they could easily starve us out in weeks with how little food is available."

A bitter atmosphere filled the room, despair creeping into the faces of the refugees while the natives grimly contemplated on what options they could take. For a moment there was silence until one of the village elders decided to speak up.

"We can't simply accept all of them, we'll need to bar some from entering…"

The other elders turned towards him, but said nothing as he continued.

"The sheer number of refugees will overwhelm us. If they cannot provide proper supplies they should not be allowed to enter. Perhaps those already here can stay, but any afterwards..."

Many of the other elders then began to voice their agreement, utterly ignoring the growing desperation and despair of their guests. All save Alfred and Anton, who merely stared stoically at their compatriots' words.

 _I can't believe what I am hearing. They would abandon their neighbors so easily? So callously? Instead of taking a moment to think of possible solutions, their first impulse is to throw others to the wolves. It would seem all the fortifications in the world mean nothing if at its heart there is naught but cowardice._

Robin's face contorted in contempt at his words. Unwilling to hold herself back, she spoke with a regal authority honed in the courts of Ylisse.

"No, we will take them all."

The craven elder furrowed his brow in annoyance.

"Now look here Robin…"

The man stumbled in speaking, unable to overcome the sheer presence, the _aura of command_ Robin was exuding.

"We _**will**_ take them all."

Seeing the man sufficiently cowed, she redirected her focus on the refugees.

"I need information. History of the bandits, weapons, the numbers of refugees, skills the refugees have, what supplies they're bringing with them. I need to know so I can plan our course of action. Tell me _**everything**_."

The refugees initially cringed at the authority of her voice, but once seeing the resolve on her face, they relaxed and slowly began speaking, telling her everything they knew. Anton and the other villagers were soon forgotten, as the refugees came to view Robin as their salvation.

Most of the elders were miffed at Robin, an outsider suddenly taking control of what should be their problem to deal with. Yet none dare challenge her or interrupt. One glance at Anton and they could see him smiling in approval. They all knew better than to challenge Anton. So they could only watch as the fate of their village, their homes, and their very lives were placed in the hands of a woman they have only known for but 2 months.

And so, the beginnings of a new legend emerged. A hero of Epirus, one who in later generations inspired those of humble origins to strike forth, and whom the bards sung and wove tales of. One who would be known by many names and many titles. But to those of Epirus, and especially those around Grimdel, one title would always be at the forefront of their minds:

The Levin's End

* * *

Author's note:

Heya peeps!

I hope you liked this chapter! This one felt more of an interlude, a collection of support conversations.

Did you like the references to a certain other series here?

Silliness aside, you may have noticed the names I placed as the powers near the Walhart's Valm to be the name of stars. When I did research earlier, I found out that Rigel Kingdom which is the predecessor to the Valmese Empire is named after a star. So I figured if there are splinter powers that are vying for control of what's left of the empire, they would use names that reflect the authority they yearn for. So, I decided to use the names of other stars or derivative of star names. Hopefully you guys found that appropriate.

As for Seleucia, I figured I would continue to use the Hellenistic influence when it came to making more local powers, seeing how it was near Epirus and for this timeline, King Michalis's influence and legacy.

Historically, when Alexander the Great died, his Generals and Captains fought each other for dominance, with Seleucus claiming the largest swath of the empire. From Antioch (Modern day Turkey and Syria) all the way to the borders of India. Had he not been assassinated, it is speculated he could have taken Greece and Macedonia as well.

The Seleucid Empire in the ancient world was where the East met the west. It was a crossroads of sorts, where Persian, Indian, Hellenistic and other eastern cultures met and mingled. So, for a city that controls the entrance to Valm, resides near the Milla tree and whose influence stretches across Valm, it would be the most appropriate choice.

Don't worry though, I won't be using Hellenistic influences for all the countries in Valm, just the ones near Epirus. For the ones closest to Rosanne, I'll be using French influences and for those further away I'll use other influences. Not saying for now because I want to make it a bit of a surprise… and I want more time to flesh it out before doing it.

Right then, until next time!

* * *

Editor's note: Y'know that feeling you get when you were feeling pretty chillin' all day only for sleep deprivation to catch up to you with a steaming pile of kill yourself? That's what I felt as I was editing today. May our lord and savior Robin deliver me from this fate and place me in the Fate universe. _someoneplzhalp_


	5. Chapter 4: Battle Preparations

A Boulder in the Path of Conquest Chapter 4

Preparations for the Siege of Grimdel

The days after the meeting, Grimdel became a hive of activity. People hustled about with purpose, for all were conscripted to the herculean effort to defend their walls. The sound of crunching snow resounded throughout the settlement. All were working; the refugees that were trickling in and the native villagers. Even the children were helping, acting as couriers running between the various groups.

At the heart of this activity was Anton's home, the living room converted into an impromptu war room, with all the tables arranged in the center, with piles of paperwork. Each sheet penned with either Robin's, Alfred's, or Laurent's handwriting. Perusing the reports were Robin, Alfred and Anton, their eyes flickering between different documents to find any inconsistencies or overlooked details. The three rarely spoke, pausing in their studies to write new orders to pass to the children for the others to carry out. The routine continued unendingly, save for timely interruptions from a spectacled boy.

"Lady Robin, the next batch of refugees have arrived. As per your request, I have compiled their relevant information into these documents. I have taken the liberty of sending those with carpentry and woodworking towards Thomas's family for further instructions."

"Good work Laurent, did you take stock of their supplies as well?"

"Of course. Starting on the third page is the list of supplies we have now acquired."

Nodding in approval, Robin skimmed the documents in search of any talents or skills that could be used to prepare additional tactical standpoints and strategies. Taking note of a few names of interest, she stood up and paced, reading the report until she stops with a frown.

"Laurent, what is this? Dragonblood sap?"

"Ah, I was also curious about that. Apparently, it is a sap from a unique species of trees that exists only in Epirus. It is highly flammable and is often used for lamps."

Robin raised a brow in interest.

"Is it sticky?"

"Yes, it was formerly used as an adhesive until its flammable properties became well known."

A feral smile graced Robin as a devious plan began to rouse the gears in her mind.

"The previous group brought with them lumber of which were too short to make proper pikes and stakes out of, correct?"

"Indeed, Lady Robin."

"And we have an excess of straw, and hay from Grimdel correct?"

"Yes… although I fail to see how that is pertinent."

"Ah Laurent, consider this a lesson in tactics. Never let a resource go to waste in preparation for a battle. Some of the villagers are unsuited for construction correct? They are currently acting as assistants, grabbing needed tools and what not, but in the end, we do have a slight surplus of workers…"

Robin allowed her words to trail off, looking at Laurent in expectation.

Laurent, noticing Robin's gaze, furrowed his brows as he tried to open the gate within..

 _Dragonblood sap, short lumber, straw, and extra labor… I fail to see the connection. What am I missing? 'A tactician never lets a resource goes to waste… think about the larger context and then try to ascertain the meaning._

 _First, what is the objective? To defend Grimdel from an attack from a numerically superior force. Our assets, a poorly maintained earthen fortress with a tiny village in the center, determined defenders in the form of native villagers and refugees. Unskilled fighters for the most part. Would be effective only if we had superior numbers or morale. Unlikely due to the recent string of bandit raid successes. Materials must be used to tip the scales in our favor, which is why Lady Robin is ordering the construction of stakes and other defenses. What do these seemingly useless extra resources have in common? Wait… Lumber and straw is flammable, then add volatile Dragon-blood sap…_

"You intend to have the unskilled labor construct a rudimentary flame trap."

Robin smiled.

"A good start, but where would I put it, and in what form?"

"Hm…"

Robin could only chuckle at her student's diligence. While he pondered the possible applications, she motioned for nearby children to pass along messages to the others within the villages.

"Come Laurent, you can ponder more as we walk to the gates. I need to inspect our progress."

Nodding absentmindedly, Laurent walks behind Robin, brows furrowed in thought and ignoring the chaotic activity around him.

 _Utilizing the knowledge that Lady Robin intends to create a rudimentary flame trap, how should they be configured? I suppose one could use the Dragon sap as an adhesive to keep the structure stable enough until the time of incineration and conflagration._

 _Not enough information. What about location? What would be the best position to inflict maximum damage upon the enemy? The walls are improbable then. If the enemy were the attack the walls they would be too spread out to do any effective damage. So the gate then, or more specifically, the ramp up after the gate to reach the same level as the walls. The ramp goes up through the wall to reach the same level as the rest of the fortifications. After that is the hills that constitute the actual village of Grimdel. Perhaps a ball to roll down the Ramp after the gate has been breached? Flaming balls of death sound imposing. I should ask when we arrive… oh…_

"So, figure something out Laurent? We arrived a few minutes ago but you were lost in thought so it didn't seem appropriate to interrupt."

"I see… how long has it been since we arrived?"

"About 5 minutes."

"Interesting..."

"Well, what do you think we should do?"

"I suspect you intend to make…"

"Oi Robin, Laurent! I got the buckets of water ready to soak the walls!"

Laurent jumped at the sudden interruption. Turning around, he was greeted with Samson's infuriating smirk.

"Oh? Did I give you a scare there Laurent? You really ought to pay better attention there buddy."

"Impossible imaginings of my supposed startled state aside, what do you mean buckets of water?"

"I have no idea what the first thing you said was, but I'm gonna assume you meant to say you were not scared, to which I say: 'hah, you totally were scared.' As for the water part, well exactly as I said. Robin told us to get buckets of water read to soak the walls. She even made us place them near the camp fires so they won't freeze too early."

Turning his attention to Robin, Samson's expression turned puzzled.

"Although I don't get why you want us to be ready to soak the walls. I mean I doubt bandits are going to go through the hassle of burning down the walls."

At his question, Robin gave a smirk.

"That's because the water isn't for preventing a fire, it's for icing over the walls."

Now Laurent joined with a puzzled expression of his own. The two gave each other the briefest of glances. Nodding, an unspoken agreement was made, and Laurent spoke up.

"Erm… why would we want ice on the walls Lady Robin?"

At this, Robin's smirk became ever so more smug.

"That's because we don't want to have any bandits even entertaining the thoughts of scaling the walls to sneak behind us. We want them ALL to break through the gates."

Samson and Laurent's eyes widened at the revelation, with Samson being the most visibly shaken.

"Wait… you WANT the gate to fall? You don't want to drive them off?"

Robin could only raise her brows in innocent confusion at the outburst. Turning towards Laurent she noticed that he too seemed taken aback by her strategy.

 _Hmmmm, not surprising to see Samson doesn't quite yet understand the necessities of this conflict. And I see Laurent is still a bit naive when it comes to horror of war. Despite everyone here acquiescing to my command, I almost forgot that I'm not working with a trained army. Although I'm a bit surprised to see Laurent shocked by this strategy. I suppose that the years between landing in the past earlier than the others and joining my army hardened him quite a bit in my timeline. Ah Laurent, this will be an unpleasant lesson for you. There are times when you show mercy, and then there are days in which you will have none to spare._

Closing her eyes, Robin adopted a smug smirk while shaking her head and shrugging.

"Of course, how else can we kill them all so they won't bother us again?"

The two boys could only look at Robin in stunned disbelief at the casual admission. Laurent said nothing, trusting his mentor, Samson on the other hand, vocalized his concerns.

"Is that really necessary?"

"Yes. These dastards have raped and pillaged on their way here. How many lives have they ruined? If we win and they surrendered, do you honestly believe any of their victims will want to work with them? And even if we keep them as prisoners after the battle, do you think any of them are repentant? No, if they surrendered we would be betrayed at the first chance and we would lose even more."

Robin's gaze hardened as she looked into Samson's eyes.

"Enemy soldiers that obey the conduct of war should be spared. Bandits who show no mercy to their victims deserve none in return. Let their deaths be a warning to any future bandits. A most cruel death is all that awaits you here."

Samson paled at Robin's sudden intensity, but he did not back away. Gathering his resolve, he steeled his expression and nodded. Robin could only smile in nostalgia at the sight.

 _Ha… that look reminds me of Donny. In the first few engagements he was always scared and hesitant, until he took a moment gather himself._

Placing her hand on Samson's shoulder and Robin nods in approval. Looking into his eyes, she still sees fear and uncertainty, but it has long since been overpowered by determination.

"I see you have resolved yourself. Good."

Glancing at the walls, Robin gestures to some of the more frayed and run down sections.

"Samson, you walk around the walls almost everyday correct?"

"Yep, outside the walls and on top of them. I find it soothing."

"So you know which areas look the best for scaling if you don't have access to ladders and whatnot."

"Yep."

"Good, I want you to note every point that looks accessible to outsiders and ensure it is iced. When they Bandits come I want them to see no avenues forward except through the gates."

"Got it. Although what is with the campfire placements behind the walls? And what's with the scarecrows?"

"Put the scarecrows periodically on the walls with prop bows. The campfires are to be manned by non combatant refugees and villagers. By moving around the fires they'll cast shadows to make it seem we have more people watching the walls than we actually do."

"Huh, you really are going all out to make them go through the gates…"

"Yes, I thought I established this already"

"Yeah, yeah… I'll get on it Robin, and tell the other leaders what you want. When do you want to ice the walls?"

"Laurent, how many days until the new moon?"

"Approximately 5 days from now Lady Robin."

"I see… Samson, inform everyone maintaining the camps and walls to ice them 3 days from now. Once each group is done and they feel like they have members to spare, send them to the gates. We are cutting it close."

"Got it."

Samson nodded and sprinted away towards the walls to inform the other's of Robin's strategy.

"Laurent, with me. We need to inspect the progress on the palisades."

"Understood."

* * *

The pair walked towards the end of the ramp, now surrounded by the frames of walls in the shape of a square. Men could be seen frantically moving poles of lumber into place, using rope and nails to put everything into place. To the side, more men could be seen digging through the frozen earth and making huge mounds nearby. Robin could only frown at the lack of progress as she walked towards the foreman.

"Alphonse, why is there only a frame? Even factoring the earth is frozen, at least one section of the wall should be nearly complete by now."

"A thousand pardons Lady Robin, but several large rocks were found buried where you instructed us to build the trench for the palisade poles. Normally this wouldn't be much of a issue, but with the ground being frozen as it was proving too time consuming to build it the normal way."

Motioning for the pair to follow him, he walked over to the nearest section of wall where his men were nailing poles into place.

"Instead we dug enough holes to fit enough pole to act as a frame and then place the other poles as crossbars. Not what you originally wanted but we could make something like an earthen wall. It's not the best solution but should hold out for one battle against raiders."

Robin furrowed her brow in frustration. She could find no faults with his reasoning, and saw no need to criticize his initiative.

"I see, that will make the earlier levels of defenses all the more important. Tell me, are you finished digging the holes into the ramp itself?"

"Yes, the ramp is ready for the stakes when they are complete, and we left the zig zag path in the ramp like you asked."

"Good. According to the messages I received earlier, they should here in about 2 hours. I know this might slow you down, but once they arrive, divert some of your men to start placing them. I already sent a notice out for anyone who can spare workers to you to do so. Hopefully that should alleviate some of your loss of labour.".

"Not ideal but I can make it work. Anything else?"

"Nothing at the moment, I'm going to inspect the work on the ramps and show my student the plan."

"Got it. I leave you to it."

Walking away, Laurent could hear the man mutter:

"That woman is a piece of work, imagining something like this…"

 _Well, that's certainly not ominous…_

* * *

As the two approached the top of the ramp, Laurent noticed that the entire ramp was covered in holes, with the exception of a jagged, zig zag path large enough for one man at a time. At the base of the ramp men were working to build 2 bonfires and what appeared to be a frame for another gate.

 _So each one of those holes is to have a small stake? That could easily ruin someone's foot… But I fail to see how it would inflict enough casualties to warrant all this work. And that still doesn't take into account the flame trap Lady Robin wishes to construct…_

"So Laurent, you never told me what you think the fire trap should be."

Turning to face his mentor, Laurent was greeted by an expectant smile.

"I must confess Lady Robin, I am unsure. Despite my best attempts to divine what means you wish to implement, the closest I thought of was to use the Dragon's Sap as an adhesive to bind the straw together into a sphere. From there, when the bandits arrive, set it alight and roll it into the mass of enemies that broke through the gate."

Robin could only look at her student with what could only be called a patronizing smile. The kind of smile an older sibling would give to the naive younger sibling who said something that had a mix of foolishness, impracticality, and naivety to the point where adorable is too tame of a term to describe it. It took all she could to keep herself from laughing and patting Laurent's head (condescendingly, of course).

Of course, Laurent could see his teacher's bemusement and his face started to sport a light blush before averting his gaze.

"I would assume based upon your demeanor I am gravely incorrect with my hypothesis."

Smirking, Robin responded in good cheer.

"Well, gravely would be overstating it. A fire ball of death rolling down would be an impressive sight, but the amount of effort to make it would be impractical. Setting aside the difficulties of making a straw ball large enough to plow through ranks of men, where would we make it? If we tried building it here, it would get in the way of constructing our other defenses. If we make it elsewhere, how would we set it on top of the ramp with the palisades in the way?"

Walking forward along the zig zagged path, Robin motioned to the soon to be filled holes around her.

"The spikes we will be placing here on the other hand, will be quickly noticed by bandits after the first few victims. Without any camouflage they could avoid the rest easily, so…"

Laurent's eyes widened once he realized his mentor's plan.

"You plan to use the Dragonblood Sap to adhere the straw and hay to the ramp, acting as camouflage so the bandits cannot see the safe path and waste time trying to find a way forward… then set it alight at the most opportune moment to inflict as much damage as possible."

"Ah, very close Laurent. You truly are a fast learner. You missed one aspect, but you'll understand it once you see it in person."

Laurent's blush deepened at his teacher's radiant smile of approval. Seeking to divert attention away from his embarrassment, he shifted focus to the second gate being constructed.

"Pardon my curiosity Lady Robin, but why did you order a second gate to be incompletely built behind the original gate with two massive bonfires ready to be lit?"

"Ah, that. What better way to make the gates appear especially weak than to have incomplete 'repairs' and 'replacements' partially built? The false gate makes the entrance even narrower, slowing them down even further. That and the added benefit of forcing them all to look at the two bonfires as they enter will make our other defenses even more effective?"

"How so Lady Robin?"

"How effective would a night battle be if your forces lost their night vision? They won't be able to see the spikes or the palisades until it is far too late."

"But wouldn't their scouts notice that we built new palisades? They are not exactly subtle Lady Robin."

Robin gave a coy smile at Laurent's question. Walking back up the ramp with him, she motioned for the recently arrived workers to begin their work placing the spikes.

"Oh? Then how do you think I addressed that problem Laurent? I'll even give you a hint: think of what we requisitioned from the village and the refugees that have been coming in."

Stepping aside for the workers, closed his eyes to focus.

 _Lady Robin requested that all food, weapons, and ammunition be set aside in the temple of Naga for safe keeping. She then diverted all construction materials to Alfred's home. Clothing was allowed to stay with the refugees and spread amongst the village homes except white clothing, which was all redirected to Emily's home…_

 _Wait, the entire area is still covered in a coating of snow from a week ago…_

"You are making a white tarp to cover the palisade once it is constructed to hide it from the scouts. But such a tarp would not be effective under lighting of any stretch."

"Indeed, it is a good thing that the siege will be in 5 days, with their scouts arriving in about 3 days."

"How can you be certain of their schedule?"

"Bandits are predictable Laurent. They will always go for the path of least resistance. After ravaging all the easy-to-crush villages and towns, they'll be moving here next because it is safer than attacking further away towns with prepared militias alerted to their presence. Grimdel has good walls for the area, but with such a tiny population boosted with refugees that already fear them, this is a good target. From all the reports, they will arrive in 3 days."

Pausing to send more messages to other groups working in the village, Robin motions Laurent to follow her while she walks back into the village.

"But despite their savagery, they do have a sense of self preservation. They want to take the safest route possible to sack and pillage. So they will inevitably try a surprise attack. When is the best time to launch a surprise attack Laurent?"

"When the defenders are exhausted or unprepared. So in our situation, a night battle since we are working with militia without a formal tradition of night watches."

Laurent could only grimace at the memory of how… ' **effective'** Grimdel's night watch was under Samson and Thomas.

"And which days in the year are best for night assaults?"

"Winter?"

"Technically not incorrect Laurent, but that is not the answer I searching for. I suppose I should have worded that better. What is due 5 days from now?"

Laurent's eyes widened after a moment of thought.

"The night of the new moon. The darkest nights of the year."

"Indeed, we'll be cutting it close, but the defenses will be ready by then. However, there is one issue we need to tackle."

"Hm? What would that be Lady Robin?"

The pair entered the militia training grounds where they were greeted by children building snowmen. Several of which were already full sized with frowns adorning their faces.

"Wind magic could pull away the straw sticking to the spikes, and fire magic could set it off prematurely. So for the next few days, we'll be practicing your aim with Lightning magic. Good aim will be essential, but I have faith in you."

"Yeah! Show us your magic! We wanna see explosions!"

The children building the snowmen paused in what they were doing and rushed to him. The eldest girl, a lass of 7 summers was too excited and tackle hugged him, knocking him to the ground. Of course, this signaled the other giggling children to dogpile the poor boy, who despite it all, smiled at the affections of the children he spent the last few weeks teaching.

"We even made the snow bandits have ugly faces so it will be easier for them to blow them up!"

Giggling, Robin gently began to shoo the children off Laurent.

"Come on now kids, Laurent can't blow up the snow bandits if you are sitting on him light this."

"Aw…"

Reluctantly, the children got up and moved to the edge of the training grounds.

"Ah, thank you Lady Robin."

"No problem Laurent. But you can't fail now, not with all your beloved fans watching."

Smiling, Laurent nodded.

"Indeed, I cannot."

That evening, the sound of thunder resounded throughout the training grounds, only to be drowned out by the cheers of children.

* * *

Later that night, Robin and Laurent found themselves in bed once more, but all was not quiet. The sound of construction echoed throughout the village, as several took night shifts to keep working in preparation. Robin herself was exhausted, but found herself restless, for she could not hear the relaxing sounds of Laurent's breathing.

"Ok Laurent, we've slept together enough to know it's not the nervousness of my lack of attire keeping you awake. What's on your mind?"

"Truly it is odd that you can say that unironically. Humanity truly can adapt to anything."

Smirking Robin turned to face her student. He of course kept his gaze upon the wall. He still found it very interesting, more so at this time of night.

"To put it simply Lady Robin, I am confused as to why you are putting so much effort into the deceptions into the walls, and why you wish to make the gates seem so weak. That, and my fears that our efforts may be lacking..."

"Ah, is that it? Hah. I can't believe I forgot to teach you one of the core tenets of good strategy. I suppose Morgan's enthusiasm and access to my books spoiled me."

"And what would that tenet be Lady Robin?"

"Deception. To quote a famous strategist: 'Appear weak where you are strong, and strong where you are weak.' By committing so much to this deception we can control where the enemy will strike, and in turn inflict as much damage as possible with minimal risk to ourselves. One of the key goals of tacticians and strategists is the control the flow of battle with deception."

"I see…"

"Deception is the cornerstone of all wars. Honor and Glory exist yes, but they are constructs from what comes **afterwards**. It's ironic I suppose. To be a trusted tactician, you must master the art of deceiving others."

"Lady Robin I…"

"Shhh…. don't worry too much Laurent. We'll be fine. I've made all the necessary preparations, and everyone is doing their fair share. In fact, if nothing surprising happens it should be a lopsided victory in our favor. So don't worry about your inexperience, you'll become a master in due time. Afterall, didn't you lack your mother's natural talent for science yet still mastered it to the point where she was impressed?"

"I did?"

"Ah.. right, this didn't happen to you yet. Yes, yes you did. Back in the previous timeline your mother told me how she was impressed that even though you lacked talent in the exploration of science, you were already her peer from sheer determination and effort."

"I see… was she proud of me?"

"Yes… yes she was. And so was your father. So don't undersell yourself, ok? If by yourself you were able to grow into a man that impressed your mother's scientific mind and your father's knightley nature of defending others, what will you achieve under my tutelage?"

Smiling, Robin reached over and placed her hand on Laurent's shoulder, ignoring his soft sobs.

"Its natural to feel fear and anxiety, just as it is to feel relief and happiness. And it's ok to cry to let it out. It's best to let it out of your system, so you can be at your best when a calm mind is needed the most. So don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. Even Chrom needed nights to cry and let the stress of the wars out."

Shuddering, Laurent let his tears fall freely for a few moments, before taking deep breaths.

"Thank you Robin."

"Don't fret Laurent, it's the duty of the teacher to bear some of the burdens of the student."

Seeing Laurent relax, Robin's smile turned mischievous.

 _I should totally give him a tight hug and make some innuendos… but he'll need sleep tonight. Hehehe… Oh Laurent, I can't wait to see how you squirm after the danger has passed._

Laurent felt a sudden chill down his spine and shuddered. But he could not figure out why for the life of him.

* * *

Four nights later, a scrawning and scarred man sneaked away from the edges of Grimdel and slinked back into a nearby camp, where dozens of men, bulky and scarred milled about, were drinking ale and feasting off food stolen from nearby settlements. Walking up to the campfire a deep scraggly voice boomed at him.

"So, what did you find Pence?"

"It looks like the rats are trying to dig in. They put sentries on the walls, and it looks like they are trying to repair the current gate and build another one behind it."

"That sounds bothersome, you said there are sentries on the walls?"

"Yeah Boss, but I couldn't get too close. Didn't want to get shot by bows you know? It looks like they put a lot of people on the walls. Pretty sure most of them aren't real fighters, but I wouldn't call that bluff boss."

"Oh, and why is that?"

"There's fucking ice all over the walls. By the time we found a good place to scale, anyone one of those weaklings that could actually hurt us will be there waiting for us."

"Oof… that sounds like more trouble than it's worth. The gates?"

"Worn out, I think they let termites have fun with it. Should only take a few hits before it breaks down."

"And the other gate?"

"I didn't see too much, but when they opened the first gate I saw what they did so far. They made the entrance a bit narrower, but they haven't actually put a gate or a door up yet."

"So it'll be a clear shot once we break through? See anything else?"

"Nope."

The 'Boss', the largest brute of the lot laughed.

"Well, the worms think they can resist us with only that much?"

A savage grin adorned his face, salivating ever so slightly at the thought of the coming slaughter.

"Hah, and this time, the women have no place to run. No desperate militias, fathers and husbands to buy them time. Walls to keep us out? Oh no, that's their new cage."

The bandits started chuckling, confident in their upcoming victory.

"They'll never know what hit them."

Truer words have not been ironically spoken.

* * *

Author's note:

Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait! College decided to kick my ass and I was too busy to write until November started! Hopefully it won't be as bad for the next few months and I can make more progress.

Oh, and remember a few chapters ago I said in about 3 chapters Robin will get her new name… yeah make that another 3 chapters, lol.

So yep, the next chapter will be the actual battle, and based on what I've imagined so far, yes this fic deserves the M rating. I do believe you all will see how Frederick and Robin bonded in the previous timeline.

Lastly, this chapter was a bit rough to write. I remembered some traps shown in movies before and tried to see how they were constructed historically, such as the fireballs that could be rolled down hills, only to find out they were cinematic constructs and no real evidence, that I could find at least, of being used in real life. So after further research I decided to take a page of out the Vietnam war with the spike traps the North Vietnamese had to use to counter the average American soldier. Nasty pieces of work, but effective. Of course, I adjusted it to this winter situation. Hopefully what I've done seems plausible at least. Regardless, see you next chapter! And don't read the next chapter before eating (unless you're a man of men #editorprivilege)! lol

* * *

Editor's Notes:

Man, this boy tryna slip in some excessive weeb jazz in there, but I spare y'all and put a wonderful green line through it. In other news, college sucks, water is indeed NOT wet, and people die when struck by enough lightning. Also, can anyone give me a good name for an excessively large claymore that allows its chosen wielder to use radiant blue lightning and flames (don't ask why)? K, thanks.

Author's Response: You ass, there was only one scene like that. And why not "Samsara, the Heavenly Flames of Reincarnation"?

Editor's Response to Author's Response: I don't need a title, just a name to represent it. And Samsara doesn't feel right.

* * *

Oh and my editor, Ryousuke decided to make a guest omake

Omake: Open, the Gates of Stratagem! Pt. 1

There was only a single night left before the raid. Laying on Anton's table were the weapons Robin had used before her forced transfer into this timeline. They were weapons that she trusted as much as the Chrom of her own timeline.

"I swear I had the Thotslayer with me when I got here…"

Even Laurent's intrusion didn't break the tactician's line of thought. Ignoring her teacher's previous words, he looked at the weapons strewn across the table. He noted the three different swords and the tome Robin never left out of arm's reach. He wouldn't dare to touch it, but he couldn't help but stare.

It wasn't after a solid twelve minutes passed that Robin noticed her student cycling his attention between her and her partners of war.

"Ah, Laurent. Have you seen a long spear that would look like the big brother to the sword farthest from you?"

She pointed to what looked to be a Brave Sword, but with purple and gold etchings and adornments added on. A blade as beautiful as its wielder.

"I cannot say I have, Lady Robin. Did it perchance come with you?" Laurent replied, his attention now glued to the tome after briefly observing the definition of weaponized beauty.

"It should have… it never leaves my side for long."

Robin shrugged, and picked up Laurent's object of now unwavering interest, leaving no time for a question on her last choice of words.

"I can see you almost drooling to know what's inside, Laurent."

Frantically, the boy wiped his mouth to find it dry, falling for his teacher's jab at his curiosity. His face spoke of his embarrassment.

"Y-Yes, I will admit seeing that it rarely leaves your side, it has made me wonder what lies within it."

Robin gave the curious one a smirk. She opened the thick tome to one of her favorite pages. It displayed a spell that left Laurent speechless. It had symbols he couldn't decipher and was written in a language foreign to him.

"What… exactly am I looking at, Lady Robin…?"

She closed the book of wonder and warfare.

"Let's just say this one in particular allows me to alter Thoron in a way that the Chrom from my timeline forbid me from using it, and every other spell in this book, on Plegian soldiers after the our first encounter."

A vicious shudder jolted down Laurent's back. His face paled as he contemplated the possibilities… and the casualties.

"I call this my 'Gate of Stratagem', Laurent. You'll understand Chrom's fears first hand soon enough."

#RyousukeIsTiredAF #NoSleepForOmakes


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